Antoni Gaudi was a now beloved artist who created such beautiful works as the Sagrada Familia and the Parc Guell. He used his love of nature to give life to mundane things. Although Gaudi had a most promising start to his architecture career, his abrupt end was not as poetic (or maybe it was, depending how you look at it.)
Gaudi Was Not The Most Popular
Oddly enough, Gaudi was not a favorite amongst his peers when he was first starting out. He was ridiculed and plain put down as an artist. Even George Orwell, who during the Spanish Revolutionary War had stayed in Barcelona detested Gaudi’s work. But this did not detour the great architect, and later as time passed, Gaudi found himself to be more and more popular and famous. Today he is loved by most, and prized as one the most original architects in history.
No End In Sight For The Sagrada Familia
Sadly for Gaudi, one of his greatest works of art, the Sagrada Familia, would prove to never be completed. Mostly this halt was due to deaths that he had experienced in his life. The death of his niece, Rosa Egea in 1912, proved to be most difficult for him. This death was followed by a close collaborator, Francesc Berenguer Mestres. Besides this hard deaths, Barcelona itself began to fall under hard times. And four years later, another death occurred in Gaudi’s life, his patron, Eusebi Guell.
Gaudi had fallen under harsh times. He began to refuse to be photographed or interviewed by reporters. All the architect wanted to do was focus on his La Sagrada Familia.
Gaudi's Death
Things did not become better for Gaudi as time went on. On the 7th of June 1926, the architect was hit and run over by a tram. The architect was unrecognizable. Gaudi was dressed in rags and had empty pockets on this day, so many people who passed him by left him on the street, for fear that he would not be able to pay. Although, Gaudi was eventually taken to what would be known as a poor hospital. Still no one recognized the artist.
It was not until his friends found him the next day, that his true identity was known. Gaudi’s friends begged to have him moved to a better hospital, but Gaudi refused. He said, “I belong here among the poor.” Three days later, on the 10th of June 1926, at the age of 74, Gaudi died.
Barcelona truly mourned the great architect. Gaudi was buried inside the La Sagrada Familia. Architects today are still trying to finish this beautiful church. Although it is becoming quite difficult, especially since the only existing copy of blue prints was destroyed in 1938 during the Spanish Civil War. But, as of 2007, the completion for the church is set for 2026.
