Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (Barcelona)
I love that their sticker is the skyline of their building.
When I Google-mapped how to get to this museum the directions were crazy intimidating. When I finally looked at the museum website it gave directions for arriving "on foot" which were basically, "Hey, you know this metro stop? Walk just up the street a little bit and there we are!"
What they fail to mention is the approximately 1 million stairs that lead from street level to the museum.
What they do not fail to mention is that there are "electric stairs". HOORAY!
The plaza leading to the musuem is called "Placa de les Cascades" - aptly named, no?
And when you finally arrive at the museum you find out that the entrance tickets are good for two days. HOORAY! This was especially good news because they have really excellent seating - and I hadn't seen a comfortable place to sit in weeks!
*I may have fallen asleep sitting here.
The architecture is amazing!
And best of all - you can take pictures (no flash) almost everywhere in the museum. I didn't discover this fact until I was through the section of the oldest art work so I don't have pictures of that, but let me tell you about it.
The Medieval/Romanesque Collection is primarily a collection of mural paintings, the majority of which come from Romanesque churches in the Pyrenees. The were bought and moved to the museum mainly to prevent them leaving the country. Basically, within this wing of the museum they have basically recreated dozens of churches and attached the frescoes to the new walls. It is really incredible to see. This is the only collection of its kind in the world.
The museum is beautifully curated - creating interesting visuals throughout the space and various collections.
And some of my favorite pieces:
Le mort de Cleopatra
c. 1804
Conjunt factici amb la Deposicio de Crist I el Cami al Calvari
1500
Salvador
1434-1435
Sant Pere|sant Paul
1590-1600
Perseguint la il-lusio
1902
A saint-Mammes. Sol de juny
1892
Confident (Double sofa)
c 1904-1906 (Gaudi)
Els llendoners de Boquer
c.1918
Retrat de Thor Lutken
1892 (Edvard Munch)
Munch painted this portrait of an Oslo lawyer out of gratitude for his services. The painting came to Barcelona via a descendant of the subject of the portrait, the Norwegian consul-general in this city. This work was done shortly before he painted The Scream and Madonna, two of his most famous paintings, in which he becomes, in his own words, an “anatomist of the soul”. This portrait, on the other hand, was done in an apparently more conventional, decorative style, with flat brushstrokes, akin to art nouveau. The symbolist scene, almost imperceptible in the bottom half of the painting, gives us a glimpse of his particular world view.
Terrer llevanti
c. 1921
A ballerina that is not a Degas!
Gran ballarina
1929
Cap de Crist
c. 1352
Ruines de l’esglesia del Sant Sepulcre
1862
This is by far my favorite!
Naixement d'una deessa
1960 (Salvador Dali)
This gate looks suspiciously like the one at Park Guell - was Gaudi recycling ideas?
Park Guell
Oh, look! Another wedding ... What a surprise!
And best of all ... BUBBLES!
I love the woman in the background.
In fact, I love all the reactions of the people in these photos.
La Sagrada Familia (Barcelona)
Prior to my visit I'd only ever seen the iconic photo(s) of La Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family) in Barcelona. They look very much like this one. To be honest I felt like the cathedral was a monstronsity, it's only claim to fame the fact that it remained unfinished despite work beginning in March of 1882. It looks, melted, waxy, unrefined, ugly. If you feel the same way then you absolutely have to see it for yourself - because it is one of the most intricate pieces of work I've ever seen, and the inside it achingly beautiful. Dammit Gaudi, you really were a genius.
One of the reasons the cathedral remains unfinished is it is exclusively an Expiatory Church - which means its construction is funded entirely through donations. With a generous donation is 1881 a parcel of land was purchased between Carrer de Marina, Carrer de Provenca, Carrer de Sardenya, and Carrer de Mallorca. I was shocked to discover that this places it squarely in the city - I had always envisioned it off by itself somewhere, but no, right in the middle of everyday life it towers above us.
Some hostel roommates had mentioned that they had been to see the cathedral in the middle of the previous week and had waited in line for more than an hour to secure tickets. I thought about buying them online, but ultimately didn't want to pay the foreign transaction fee (remember at this point I was still thinking in terms of monstrosity). So, when I queued for tickets I was not overly invested in staying if the line moved to slowly. To my surprise it moved quickly and I was at the ticket gate in less than twenty minutes.
See, actual construction (welding) happening while we wait!
Gaudi designed the Passion and the Nativity facades himself. You can only see the Passion facade after the ticket gate so I was especially glad the I'd waited. This figures in this facade are all very stylized, which only enhances the emotion.
Betrayed with a kiss
I love that the image of a snake is included in the betrayal relief. When I watched The Passion of the Christ the inclusion of Satan weaving in and out among the crowds, inciting hate and fear with his presence alone was one of the most powerful pieces of imagery from the film.
This cryptogram was invented by Joseph Maria Subirachs - the multiple combinations of numbers always adds up to 33, the age of Christ at his death. There are two numbers repeated: 10 and 14; if they are added together the sum is 48, the same result as the addition of the letter INRI (Iesus Nazarenus Rex ludaeorum) according to the numerical order of the Latin alphabet.
I cannot possibly convey the beauty of the interior. It is so light, so airy, the stained glass is breathtaking. Many cathedrals have stained glass that feels heavy (I can't explain it properly, really), but here it feels lighter than air. Initially I chalked it up to the use of blues and greens, but there are also a lot of yellows and reds. It just feels ... lighter.
I loved the way the light reflected onto the ceiling and floor from the windows. It made it feel like you were standing in a prism.
Stained glass is also unfinished. Although patterns exist on some of the windows.
I love a good spiral staircase, and this one went on forever.
The cathedral is a working cathedral. There was a notice up listing times for masses held in Spanish and Catalan. Even when open to the public, there is a section roped off for respectful meditation (you can take photos in this area, but you have to be seated), and another section roped off specifically for those who wish to pray.
The Gospels:
The Nativity facade is the famous side. The one that looks drippy, melty, waxy, monstrous, beautiful, detailed, amazing.
Gabriel and Mary
That right there in the middle - is the star of Bethlehem.
Mary, Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.
The Wise Men
The Heavenly Host
Shepherds (with bonus pigeon)
The flight into Egypt
Basically the whole of the gospels on the facade.
Please go to Barcelona; please go see La Sagrada Familia. It is beautiful, gorgeous, spiritual... it is AWESOME.
