A porch railing takes on hints of dragon or caterpillar at Casa Battlo
Several of us at TravelGumbo are admirers of the work of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, so examples of his work appear here often—sometimes in admiration of large works such as Sagrada Familia, sometimes exploring smaller themes, such as the recent post on Critters at Sagrada Familia.
It has to be said that Gaudi’s work is so varied and so rich in details that there appears to be no end of material to take a closer look at and to be surprised by. The images here are from a visit to one of his best-known buildings, the Casa Battlo, but some of the details are among the less obvious there.
And some of those that are more familiar, such as the main facade seen here, take on new meaning when viewed closer, as in the image below it, again emphasizing his willingness to blend fantastic forms with familiar fixtures, to turn simple railings into things that appear to be morphing before our eyes.
Casa Battlo was built in an era without mechanical ventilation and at the beginning of electrical service; light and ventilation called for airshafts. Gaudi couldn’t be content with just an airshaft; he made each a visual experience in itself.
Even on the roof, where most houses would have had simple chimneys with simple rainshields, Gaudi has created an enchanted forest of chimney mushrooms and melting rooflines…and a line of turtles following the edge.
