Art Nouveau: Cities of the New Century — Episode 2: Barcelona & Antoni Gaudi

How did Art Nouveau reach Barcelona, and how did it take on a distinctly local form through the work of Antoni Gaudí?

In this HENI Talks conversation, art historian Paul Greenhalgh speaks with Lluís Bosch about the cultural, political, and architectural conditions that allowed Barcelona to become a centre of Modernisme at the end of the 19th century.

The discussion explores how Art Nouveau evolved as it moved beyond Brussels, and how Gaudí transformed the language of the movement through structure, craft, symbolism, and an unprecedented relationship between architecture, nature, and place. Rather than adopting Art Nouveau wholesale, Barcelona reshaped it — producing one of the most original architectural cultures of the modern era.

Across this 15-minute film, Greenhalgh and Bosch:

🗺️ Explore:

• How Art Nouveau arrived in Barcelona and became Modernisme

• Antoni Gaudí’s role in redefining architectural form and structure

• The political and cultural identity shaping Barcelona at the turn of the century

• The relationship between craft, industry, and symbolism in Gaudí’s work

• Why Barcelona represents a crucial second chapter in the story of modern architecture

📖 If you enjoyed this film and want to learn more about Art Nouveau, you won't want to miss our book ‘Art Nouveau: The Architecture of Modern Life’ by leading expert Paul Greenhalgh.

Available now:

🎥 Presented by HENI Talks — films that bring art, design, and architecture to life.

🔔 Subscribe for more films on art, architecture, and culture:

/ @henitalks

👍 Like, comment, and share to support our work!

🌐 Learn more:

Instagram — / heni

TikTok — / heni

🏷️ Tags

Art Nouveau, Barcelona, Antoni Gaudi Paul Greenhalgh, Art Nouveau architecture, Catalan architecture, modern architecture, architectural history, HENI Talks, La Sagrada Familia, 19th century architecture

#ArtNouveau #AntoniGaudí #Barcelona #Modernisme #Architecture #HENITalks