Joan Martorell
Encyclopedia
Joan Martorell i Montells (ʒuˈam mərtuˈɾeʎ) (born 1833 in Barcelona
, died 5 July 1906 in Barcelona) was a Catalan
architect
and designer. He was an uncle of the architect Bernardí Martorell i Puig.
Martorell worked in the styles of historicism
and Gothic Revival. His Gothic style was influenced by French architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
and English architect William Butterfield
. He was known for his restoration work on Gothic churches, and worked with the Archdiocese of Barcelona on its properties. One of his most notable works is the Church of the Salesas in Barcelona, completed in 1885, which combined Gothic Revival, Romanesque Revival and the indigenous Mudéjar
architectural styles. In Comillas
, Spain, he designed the Palacio de Sobrellano, and the Capilla Panteón de los Marqueses de Comillas, and helped design the Universidad Pontificia with Lluís Domènech i Montaner
.
Martorell is also known for his later work in the Catalan school of Modernisme
, and for his relationships with his contemporary Modernisme architects, especially his protege Antoni Gaudí
. He was a professor and later an employer of Gaudí. Martorell taught Gaudí graphic statics
, an important engineering technique that Gaudi frequently used to create vaulted ceilings without the use of buttress
es.
He also introduced Gaudí to his most important client and patron, Eusebi Güell
. Martorell also steered other commissions to Gaudí, including design work for the city of Barcelona and furniture design for the Marqués de Comillas. Martorell headed the committee that selected Antoni Gaudí to take over the design and construction of the Sagrada Familia
in Barcelona in 1883 when the original architect, Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano
, retired from the project.
Outside of Barcelona:
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, died 5 July 1906 in Barcelona) was a Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and designer. He was an uncle of the architect Bernardí Martorell i Puig.
Martorell worked in the styles of historicism
Historicism (art)
Historicism refers to artistic styles that draw their inspiration from copying historic styles or artisans. After neo-classicism, which could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by a return to a more ancient classicism, in particular in...
and Gothic Revival. His Gothic style was influenced by French architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc was a French architect and theorist, famous for his interpretive "restorations" of medieval buildings. Born in Paris, he was a major Gothic Revival architect.-Early years:...
and English architect William Butterfield
William Butterfield
William Butterfield was a Gothic Revival architect and associated with the Oxford Movement . He is noted for his use of polychromy-Biography:...
. He was known for his restoration work on Gothic churches, and worked with the Archdiocese of Barcelona on its properties. One of his most notable works is the Church of the Salesas in Barcelona, completed in 1885, which combined Gothic Revival, Romanesque Revival and the indigenous Mudéjar
Mudéjar
Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity...
architectural styles. In Comillas
Comillas
Comillas is a small township and municipality in the northern reaches of Spain, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. The Marquisate of Comillas, a fiefdom of Spanish nobility, holds ceremonial office in the seat of power at a small castle which overlooks the town.-Marquis of Comillas:The first...
, Spain, he designed the Palacio de Sobrellano, and the Capilla Panteón de los Marqueses de Comillas, and helped design the Universidad Pontificia with Lluís Domènech i Montaner
Lluís Domènech i Montaner
Lluís Domènech i Montaner was a Spanish Catalan architect who was highly influential on Modernisme català, the Catalan Art Nouveau / Jugendstil movement. He was also a Catalan politician....
.
Martorell is also known for his later work in the Catalan school of Modernisme
Modernisme
Modernisme was a cultural movement associated with the search for Catalan national identity. It is often understood as an equivalent to a number of fin-de-siècle art movements, such as Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, Secessionism, and Liberty style, and was active from roughly 1888 to 1911 Modernisme ...
, and for his relationships with his contemporary Modernisme architects, especially his protege Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí
Antoni Gaudí i Cornet was a Spanish Catalan architect and figurehead of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works reflect his highly individual and distinctive style and are largely concentrated in the Catalan capital of Barcelona, notably his magnum opus, the Sagrada Família.Much of Gaudí's work was...
. He was a professor and later an employer of Gaudí. Martorell taught Gaudí graphic statics
Cremona diagram
The Cremona diagram is a graphical method used in statics of trusses to determine the forces in members . The method was created by the Italian mathematician Luigi Cremona....
, an important engineering technique that Gaudi frequently used to create vaulted ceilings without the use of buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es.
He also introduced Gaudí to his most important client and patron, Eusebi Güell
Eusebi Güell
Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi, 1st Count of Güell was a Catalan entrepreneur who profited greatly from the industrial revolution in Catalonia in the late 19th century...
. Martorell also steered other commissions to Gaudí, including design work for the city of Barcelona and furniture design for the Marqués de Comillas. Martorell headed the committee that selected Antoni Gaudí to take over the design and construction of the Sagrada Familia
Sagrada Familia
The ' , commonly known as the Sagrada Família, is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí...
in Barcelona in 1883 when the original architect, Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano
Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano
Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano, was a Spanish architect.He studied architecture in Madrid at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, and qualified in 1852. The following year he settled in Barcelona and was elected a member of what is now known as the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de...
, retired from the project.
Works
Most of Martorell's works were built in Barcelona. Some of the most important works include:- Església i Convent de les Adoratrius (1874)
- Església i Convent de les Saleses (1877-1885)
- Reconstruction of the Montsio (1888)
- Tower and dome of the Basilica of La Mercè
- Restoration of the Monastery of PedralbesMonastery of PedralbesThe Monastery of Pedralbes is a Gothic monastery in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is now a museum, housing collections from Barcelona City's History Museum.-History:...
(1897) - Building of the Societat de Crèdit Mercantil (1901, named by city government as the best new building in 1901)
- Monument of Joan Güell (1901)
- Robert Casa, now Palau RobertPalau RobertPalau Robert is a building on Barcelona's Passeig de Gràcia 107, the former private residence of Robert Robert i Surís, an influential aristocrat, politician and businessman at the turn of the 20th century...
(1898-1903) - College of the Jesuits of Sarrià
- Palace and garden of the Finca Güell (now Palau Reial de PedralbesPalau reial de pedralbesThe Palau Reial de Pedralbes is a building placed in the middle of an ample garden in the district of Les Corts, in Barcelona. From 1919 until 1931 it was the residence for the Spanish Royal Family when they visited the city...
)
Outside of Barcelona:
- Parish Church of Santa Maria in PortbouPortbouPortbou is a town in the Alt Empordà county, in Girona province, Catalonia, Spain. It has a population of 1,307 people.- Overview :It is located near the French border in the Costa Brava region, and frequently serves as a dropping off point for SNCF trains coming from Cerbère in France.Portbou...
- Church of Sant Esteve Castellar
- Rosari Monumental de MontserratMontserrat, ValenciaMontserrat , also known as Montserrat d'Alcalà, is a municipality in the comarca of Ribera Alta in the Valencian Community, Spain....
: fourth and fifth Joyful Mysteries, third and fourth Glorious Mysteries - Palacio de Sobrellano in ComillasComillasComillas is a small township and municipality in the northern reaches of Spain, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. The Marquisate of Comillas, a fiefdom of Spanish nobility, holds ceremonial office in the seat of power at a small castle which overlooks the town.-Marquis of Comillas:The first...
(1878-1890) - Panteón de Sobranello (1881)
- Seminary of Comillas (1883, completed by Lluis Domenech i MontanerLluís Domènech i MontanerLluís Domènech i Montaner was a Spanish Catalan architect who was highly influential on Modernisme català, the Catalan Art Nouveau / Jugendstil movement. He was also a Catalan politician....
, now the headquarters of the Comillas FoundationComillas FoundationThe Comillas Foundation is a private nonprofit organization based in the town of Comillas, Cantabria, Spain. Comillas Foundation, established in 2005, is dedicated to promote Spanish language and Hispanic culture...
)