{"id":68320,"date":"2016-06-02T17:56:49","date_gmt":"2016-06-02T15:56:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/?p=68320"},"modified":"2019-08-13T11:05:27","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T09:05:27","slug":"mosaic-fresco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/mosaic-fresco\/","title":{"rendered":"Mosaics and Frescoes of Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You don&#8217;t have to walk far in <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> in order to see a <strong>mosaic<\/strong> sculpture (or tacky souvenir) inspired by Gaud\u00ed. Although Gaud\u00ed&#8217;s are the most famous examples of mosaic art in Barcelona, the tradition of <strong>mosaic<\/strong> work in the city can be traced back to the Roman period. Also originating in Roman times, <strong>fresco<\/strong> painting became a major art-form in medieval Barcelona, and inspired many modern artists. This article will take a closer look at the two artistic traditions, and where to find the best examples of both in the city.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/mosaic-fresco\/#Mosaics\" title=\"Mosaics\">Mosaics<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/mosaic-fresco\/#Frescoes\" title=\"Frescoes\">Frescoes<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mosaics\"><\/span>Mosaics<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_68437\" style=\"width: 298px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-68437\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-68437\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/anciana-288x300.jpg\" alt=\"Photo credit: Sebasti\u00e0 Giralt via Visual Hunt \/ CC BY-NC-SA\" width=\"288\" height=\"300\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-68437\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo credit: Sebasti\u00e0 Giralt via Visual Hunt \/ CC BY-NC-SA<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The earliest mosaics in <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> belong to the Roman period. They have been preserved throughout the centuries as they were often located on the floors of buildings which became covered over, and thus protected from light, air and erosion. They were made from durable materials such as marble and pebbles which are not easily damaged by water. At the time the Roman settlements of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/an-introduction-to-roman-barcelona\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Barcino<\/em><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/baetulo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Baetulo<\/em><\/a> were founded in the region, black and white mosaics featuring geometric patterns were popular. Fine examples of black and white mosaics can be found in the <a href=\"http:\/\/museuhistoria.bcn.cat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">MUHBA Pla\u00e7a del Rei<\/a> and the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.museudebadalona.cat\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>Museu Badalona<\/em><\/a>. In order to see more opulent, full-colour mosaics, head to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/macarqueologia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>Museu d&#8217;Arqueologia de Catalunya<\/em><\/a>, where many detailed wall mosaics are displayed, including unusual examples such this caricature of an elderly lady (pictured right).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just as the <strong>mosaic<\/strong> floors of Roman Barcelona lay hidden for millennia, so the tradition of <strong>mosaic<\/strong>-making in the city largely fell out of use after the Roman period. It was the <em>Modernisme<\/em> movement of the early 20th-Century which really brought <strong>mosaic<\/strong> art back to the city, and indeed, made it one of modern-day <strong>Barcelona\u2019s<\/strong> defining characteristics.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The <em>trencadis<\/em> style (originated by French artist Raymond Isidore) was adopted and perfected by Gaud\u00ed and his collaborator Josep Maria Jujol. In this technique, unevenly-sized pieces of broken ceramic are used to create unique mosaics. Gaudi first used <em>trencadis<\/em>\u00a0 in the <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.barcelonaturisme.com\/wv3\/en\/page\/607\/.html?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Pavellons de la Finca G\u00fcell<\/a>,<\/em> breaking the pottery shards used to decorate the building in order to fit its unique design. He went on to use the technique in many of his most celebrated architectural works, most famously in <a href=\"https:\/\/parkguell.barcelona\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Park G\u00fcell<\/a>, where <em>trencadis<\/em> mosaics can be found adorning almost every fa\u00e7ade and hidden detail, from the undulating bench (designed by Jujol) to the famous (and infamously-imitated) rainbow-coloured salamander which snakes its way down the main staircase of the monumental zone. Visit in the early morning or late evening to truly appreciate the finer details of the park&#8217;s mosaics. During peak times it can become overrun by tourists taking selfies.\u00a0 C<em>asa Batll\u00f3<\/em> has a wonderful scaled roof, like the body of a chamaeleon. The roof of <em>La Pedrera<\/em> also features <strong>mosaic<\/strong> details, as do the caps of the spires of <em>La Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another famous exponent of the modern-day <strong>mosaic<\/strong> in <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> is Joan Mir\u00f3. Don\u2019t miss his <em>Pla de l&#8217;Os<\/em> mosaic in the centre of La Rambla (just south of the <em>Gran Teatre del Liceu<\/em>), which many people overlook as they are negotiating the souvenir stands and street-performers. Also look out for his <em>Dona i Ocell<\/em> (&#8216;Woman and Bird&#8217;) in Parc Joan Mir\u00f3, and the fabulous large-scale mosaics in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.museunacional.cat\/en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">MNAC<\/a> (<em>Museu Nacional d&#8217;Art de Catalunya<\/em>) and <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> airport.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition to these celebrated examples, many modern mosaics from lesser-known artists can be found all over the city, from metro stations to the entrance-halls of apartment blocks. The mosaic as an emblem for the city seems appropriate when you consider its multi-faceted character: a tapestry of ancient and modern districts intersecting one another and combining to make an inimitable whole.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frescoes\"><\/span>Frescoes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_68438\" style=\"width: 276px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-68438\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-68438\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Pantocrator-266x300.jpg\" alt=\"Photo credit: jimforest via Visual hunt \/ CC BY-NC-ND\" width=\"266\" height=\"300\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-68438\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo credit: jimforest via Visual hunt \/ CC BY-NC-ND<\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The <strong>fresco<\/strong> technique involves painting directly onto wet plaster, then allowing the paint to dry, thus incorporating the painting into the fabric of the plaster itself. This ancient art dates back to Egyptian times, but its first attested use in <strong>Barcelona<\/strong> dates from the Roman period. There is a well-preserved and beautifully executed <strong>fresco<\/strong> of a horseman on display at the MUHBA Pla\u00e7a del Rei. In the <em>Museu Badalona<\/em>, some of the frescoes which would once have decorated shops and houses have survived, and been partially re-created to give a feel of how a brightly-decorated Roman residence might\u00a0 have appeared.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The most stunning examples of<strong> fresco<\/strong> painting, however, date from the medieval period. A great starting point if you want to find out about them is the Romanesque collection at MNAC. Many wonderful frescoes (mostly from churches in the Pyrenees) have been displayed in model apses, in order to recreate their original appearance. Highlights include the apse of <em>Sant Climent de Ta\u00fcll\u00a0<\/em>(detail pictured left), which inspired artists of the modern era including Picasso and Francis Picabia.\u00a0 In order to see medieval frescoes preserved <em>in situ<\/em>, visit St Michael\u2019s chapel in the <a href=\"http:\/\/monestirpedralbes.bcn.cat\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>Monestir de Pedralbes<\/em><\/a>, where every wall is beautifully illuminated by biblical scenes in the Italian <em>Trecento<\/em> style.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Today, the <strong>fresco<\/strong> paintings of ancient<strong> Barcelona<\/strong> have been replaced by the murals and stucco reliefs which adorn many of the city\u2019s facades, but it is easy to see how modern mural artists must have found inspiration in the wall-paintings of the past, just as modern mosaicists were inspired by their Roman predecessors.<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: none;\"\n    class=\"kk-star-ratings kksr-valign-bottom kksr-align-left \"\n    data-id=\"68320\"\n    data-slug=\"\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-inactive\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"1\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"2\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"3\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"4\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"5\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-active\" style=\"width: 150px;\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-legend\">\n            <strong class=\"kksr-score\">5<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\/<\/span>\n        <strong>5<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">(<\/span>\n        <strong class=\"kksr-count\">1<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\n            vote        <\/span>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You don&#8217;t have to walk far in Barcelona in order to see a mosaic sculpture (or tacky souvenir) inspired by Gaud\u00ed. Although Gaud\u00ed&#8217;s are the most famous examples of mosaic art in Barcelona, the tradition of mosaic work in the city can be traced back to the Roman period. Also originating in Roman times, fresco [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":68435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4349],"tags":[1662,4143,457],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68320"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68320"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99531,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68320\/revisions\/99531"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/68435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}