? Milá Sold at Auction Prices

Antoni Gaudí, Folding Screen, Casa Milà, Barcelona, 1909

Oak, frosted glass Barcelona, Spain, 1909 Design: Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) – Catalan architect and sculptor in Barcelona, outstanding representative of the Catalan Modernisme movement Execution: c. 1975, Gaudí workshop Engraved letter ‘R’ and a heart From an edition of 3 Dimensions: 77.2 x 79.9 resp. 70 in Very good condition Provenance: French private collection Gaudí completed this remarkable two-part folding screen as part of the interior scheme of his last secular project, the apartment building Casa Milà in 1909 Estimate by Auctionata Expert: 180,000 Euro Gaudí received the commission for the construction of the Casa Milà from Pedro Milà I Camps and his wife Roser Segimon I Artells in 1906. The spectacular, two-part paravent was destined for their own apartment. Frosted and rosé-colored glass windows are inserted into the freely curved formed oak panels. Following the style of Casa Milà, the paravent leaves the light shine through the panes. Casa Milà was built around two courtyards to light the apartments. The house walls were shaped in curves, just like the paravent. The abstract and expressive morphology of the paravent was to become the design feature of the avant-garde and surrealist art of the next centuries. Condition: The two-part folding screen is in very good condition. Their dimensions are 77.2 in. in height and 79.9 resp. 70 in in length. Literature: Cf. W. Robinson et al., exhibition catalogue, Barcelona and Modernity: Picasso, Gaudí, Miró, Dalí, Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Art, New Haven and London, 2006, p. 200 for an illustration of the screen, pp. 195-200 for a discussion of Casa Milà Cf. Exhibition catalogue, Homage to Barcelona: The City and its Arts 1888-1936, London, Hayward Gallery, 1985, p. 315, cat. no. 96 (not illustrated) Cf. Exhibition catalogue, The Folding Image: Screens by Western Artists of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Washington D.C., The National Gallery of Art, pp. 181-185 for a discussion of this screen Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) From the beginning of his studies at the school of architecture in Barcelona, he worked for different architecture offices, i.a. at Paula del Villar, Josep Fontserè and Joan Martorell. Initially, he aroused a sensation as a New-Gothic with the ‘Sagrada Familia’ Cathedral. Around 1900, he continued with this style with Gothicized bishop palaces and hospital constructions (Léon and Astorga) and soon became the leading representative of the ‘new Catalan’ construction and decoration style. This style is continued in Gaudís palace and park construction for Conde de Güell in Barcelona with mighty hyperbolic archways, far protruding front window gallery and bizarre wrought iron décor, as well as living and office buildings. (tm) Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.