Sandwiched In with Dennis Raverty - Gaudi's "Sagrada Familia"

Join award winning teacher and art historian Dennis Raverty as he explores Antonio Gaudi's architectural masterpiece, Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Expiatory Temple.  Gaudi's work was left incomplete at his death in 1928, but work was continued by others over the decades and the basilica finally opened to the public only in 2017. It is the crowning jewel in the modern city of Barcelona. The elaborate sculptural program on the east facade depicts narratives surrounding the birth, childhood and adolescence of Jesus and were executed under the direct supervision of the artist; these will be the main focus of the talk.

 During the 1930s Spanish Civil War however, communists fleeing the fascists destroyed all the drawings and models remaining in Gaudi's studio, making completion after the war challenging. This presentation will also examine the controversial work since 1945, including the expressionistic west facade and the breathtaking, light-filled interior.