Lively and charming, creative and rebellious, early twentieth century Barcelona was known as “la rosa de foc”, the “rose of fire”. A new fervour kindled the artistic and cultural scene, where giants Picasso and Gaudí stood out against the background of a fiery social tension that sparked conflicts and attacks.
Sealing Barcelona’s rise was the 1888 World’s Fair, which celebrated the development of the Catalan capital and helped to spread ideas of renewal and modernization. Thus a talented group brought to life an extraordinary flourishing in the fields of art, architecture, music, and literature, changing the face of the city after the model of Art Nouveau Paris. Strong social conflicts, however, came along with this cultural and economic growth, culminating in 1909 in the so-called “tragic week,” where violent clashes between the army and the civilian population declared the end of this singular period.
La Rosa de Foc La Barcellona di Picasso e Gaudí La Rosa de Foc. Picasso and Gaudí’s Barcelona tells the story of these fertile yet turbulent years, and of the group of artists that animated them, leaving a deep mark on the history of 20th century art. The inventions of Lluís Domènech and especially Gaudí, the visionary innovator of architecture and interior design, alternate with masterpieces by some of the most important figures in Catalan painting and sculpture: Ramon Casas, Santiago Rusiñol, Hermen Anglada Camarasa, Isidre Nonell, Julio González, and the young Picasso. Each in his own style, they depict snapshots of modern life, with the dazzling bohemian atmosphere of cafes and nightclubs, to the portraits of gypsies, and vagrants tinged with blue, touching icons of solitude in the wake of progress. A kaleidoscope of paintings, drawings, jewellery, sculpture, and architectural and theatrical models stand as testaments to the fire of renewal that raged through all the arts.
Curated by
Tomàs Llorens e Boye Llorens
Organized by
Fondazione Ferrara Arte e Gallerie d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea
Enti promotori
Comune di Ferrara
Provincia di Ferrara
Con il patrocinio di
Regione Emilia-Romagna e Expo Milano 2015
Con il contributo di
Carife
Technical sponsor
Escofet
