New Gaudí biography delves into architect's life and work

A new Antoni Gaudí biography delves into the famous Catalan architect's life and work, with the author Armand Puig attempting to "relate the figure to his work." 

Puig, a priest, historian, and writer, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN) that the book – published in Catalan (Antoni Gaudí, Vida i Obra) by Portic and in Spanish by Arpa offers "rigor and a credible perspective” and “does not rely on stereotypes." 

Puig aims to convey to readers that Gaudí was "a person of exceptional quality from the perspective of technique and architecture," but also "from the standpoint of love and his Christian convictions." 

Sagrada Família visit 

One Sunday afternoon in May 2010, Puig decided to visit the Sagrada Família, Gaudí's most famous building.

"I entered, and at that moment," he said, "I felt touched by the wing of an angel passing by, and I understood that I had to explain what I was seeing and feeling. That was when I began my 'love story' with Gaudí." 

That year, in 2010, he published a book on the Sagrada Família. Since then, he has been delving deeper into Gaudí’s life and work. 

A biography should be "as objective as possible so that the reader can form an idea of the person," according to Puig.  

He acknowledged that documentary sources about Gaudí are scarce because he wrote almost nothing, except for a manuscript from Reus. 

"Gaudí dedicated himself to explaining what he had to explain through his works, and that’s why Gaudí's writing is architecture."  

Puig believes the book offers rigor and a credible vision, avoiding stereotypes.

"Gaudí turns out to be a person whom I understand to be a saint, with supernatural and natural virtues, along with faults and imperfections."

Gaudí knew he was a great architect, but in the second phase of his life, he lost the pride he had in the first phase, Puig explains. "There’s one thing he never overcame: his bad temper, which he had until the very end," he admitted. 

"Gaudí is from Reus" 

On whether Gaudí was born in the town of Reus in southern Catalonia, or nearby Ruidoms, Puig says: "Gaudí is from Reus, but he was in love with Riudoms, and at certain moments, he says he is from Riudoms – not because he really was, but because he felt emotionally connected to it." 

"People from Riudoms claim that he was born there, but there is no document saying that he was born in Riudoms; he always signs documents stating that he was born in Reus."