In this series on Gaudí, we are presenting his thought, collected in the book, Gaudi’s Thought, by the architect Puig Boada, edited by Catalonia’s School of Architects. Today we transcribe texts on Gaudí’s explanation of life, spirituality and asceticism.
‘Life is a battle. In order to fight, one needs strength and the strength of virtue (vir), and this force is only sustained and increased with the cultivation of spirituality, that is, with religious practice. Life is love and love is sacrifice. In any circumstance, one can observe that when a house flourishes, it is because there is someone who sacrifices him or herself. This someone sometimes is a servant, a housemaid. When it is two who sacrifice themselves, the life of the whole becomes brilliant, exemplary. A marriage in which the spouses have the spirit of sacrifice, has peace and joy, and this is so with or without children, with or without wealth. If there are more than two who are sacrificing themselves, the house radiates with a thousand lights which dazzle everyone who approaches it.’
‘What gives rise to the spiritual and material progress of the religious orders, is that all members sacrifice themselves for the common good. Whatever yields fruit, is not done for retribution, since we know that nothing is fruitful without sacrifice, and sacrifice is the diminishing of the I without compensation. This goes for those who only want to work according to their wage.’
These texts were collected by Puig Boada from the conversations between Gaudí and the architects Bergós and Martorell.
The Sagrada
Familia’s Bell Towers
(original text in Catalan)
The architect Cèsar Martinell, in his book Gaudí, and the Sagrada Família explained by Himself, gives us the captivating vision of its bell towers, a song to the Holy Trinity, with thoughts that come literally from Gaudí himself.
‘The Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, spirally ordered, are dedicated three by three, to the Father, to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. The first one, dedicated to the Father, will be yellow, the colour which best represents light; the second one will be orange, dedicated to the Holy Spirit; and the third one, dedicated to the Son, will be red, the colour the liturgy uses as a symbol of martyrdom. The Holy Spirit goes in the middle because it is the communication between the Father and the Son, and because of this, it is the colour resulting from the other two’.
(This can be contemplated on the bell towers of the Passion façade, work of the architects Bonet Garí and Puig Boada).
‘These inscriptions will be like a ribbon, spiralling up the towers. Everyone who reads them, even unbelievers, will sing a song to the most Holy Trinity, on discovering its content: the Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus that, as he or she reads it, will lead the gaze to the sky (lit. el cel, also meaning heaven). The shape of the towers, vertical and parabolic, is the union of gravity and light. On top, will be their luminous projections – just as natural light also comes from above. On the nights of religious solemnities, these luminous projections, will give light and splendour to the church, and will constitute the best adornment of the city.’
We continue to expound Gaudi's thought on ascetic life. These words are taken also from conversations with the architects, Bergós and Martinell.
' "Mortification of the body is the joy of the spirit", says Dr. Torras i Bages. And the mortification of the body is continued and persistent work. Saint Anthony of Alexandria sells his inherited goods, gives the corresponding part to his sister and the rest to the poor, and goes into the desert, where with his work – a powerful aid against temptation – sows and plants to obtain vegetables and fruits for his nourishment. This is true asceticism.' (We recall that Dr. Torras i Bages was the mentor of the Cercle Artístic de Sant Lluc – in whose activities Gaudí participated – and later became bishop of Vic. Saint Anthony lived in the fourth century and was Antoni Gaudi's patron saint.)
'Bodily exercise, moderation in eating, in drinking and in sleep, are mortifications of the body which efficiently fight lust, drunkenness, laziness, etc. For this reason it is necessary to establish gymnastics in seminaries: the complete exercise of the body to the point of fatigue, if need be. Then "deixuplines" would not be needed and the seminarian would have a sure and restful sleep'. (We must place these recommendations in the context of his time. The deixuplines was an instrument – a little rope – with which one punished the body to keep it under control. Gaudí considered gymnastics, that is, sport, to be a more natural and adequate remedy.)
'Charity operates on a need. If there is no need, there cannot be charity. For this reason, when someone needs advice, it must be given, even if he or she does not ask for it. It is often that he who needs it, does not ask for it, but the church says, "give council to he who needs it"; it does not say, "to he who asks for it".'
'Everyone must suffer. Those who don't suffer are the dead. He who does not want to suffer, wants to die. People in all walks of life want to escape suffering; but the way to suffer less and to better produce is to throw oneself right into suffering, into poverty'.
'When advised to buy a new garment, I answered: since it is still well sewn I can keep on wearing it. To go dirty with torn clothes, I could not bear, but I don't mind appearing poor. Looking at Jesus: He did indeed, for love of us, became really poor!'
This thought by Gaudí was heard by the sister, Maria Rius, Carmelite of Saint Joseph, who, with other sisters, took care of Gaudí's family and home at Park Güell.
The Passion Façade of
the Sagrada Familia Church
(original text in Catalan)
On more than one occasion criticisms of, and judgement on, the Passion Façade are heard, which are without foundation. Among these are the critics who attribute it completely to the work of the great sculptor Josep M. Subirachs. What is it that Gaudí designed, and what is it that the architects Puig Boada, Bonet i Garí and Cardoner faithfully completed? Listen to the words full of emotion and strength, which the architect, Joan Bergós took down from Gaudí himself:
' Maybe someone will find this façade too extravagant, but I would actually like it to engender fear, and, in order to achieve this I will not spare the light-shade combination, the projecting elements and the emptying, everything producing the most murky effect. Moreover, I am ready to sacrifice the construction itself, to break arcs, to cut columns, in order to give an idea of how real (cruent) sacrifice is. I projected this façade in pain in 1911, when I was sick in Puigcerdà. There I grew so ill that on being bathed, I heard someone murmer in a low voice, "He is finished!" The convalescence was long and, as a nurse, I had a Castillian member of the religious order of Camillus de Lellis, fellow countryman of Saint John of the Cross, whose works he would read to me. That poetry not only consoled me, but also encouraged my spirit to meditate on the portal of the Passion, which I finally drew on paper.
In contrast with that of the Nativity, decorated, ornanamented, the portal of Death is harsh, bare, as if made of bones. I will not make the plaster model, because being totally resolved with hyperbolic paraboloids, clearly intertwined, its construction becomes quite clear.'
We earnestly recomend that you contemplate the magnificent enlarged drawing in the Sagrada Familia Museum. You will also realise what remains to be completed, but which is already under construction.