Often cited as the most original architect of the 20th Century, Antoni Gaudí I Cornet was certainly an architect of extraordinary talent. Gaudí lived in the second half of the nineteenth century in Barcelona, in the province of Cataluña, Spain. In love with his city and proud of his identity as a Catalan, he created most of his work in or around Barcelona. Gaudí was born on June 25, 1852 in Reus, Cataluña, of Francesc Gaudí Serra, a coppersmith, and Antonia Cornet Bertran, daughter of coppersmiths. Gaudí’s art is representative of the Modernismo movement, which is the Catalan version of Art Nouveau. His work symbolizes artistic renewal and creativity. Gaudí dreamed of an architecture devoid of square angles, and dedicated most of his artistic life attempting to realize his dream. He created buildings, interiors and parks where movement is fluid, curvy, organic and almost surreal. Gaudí was influenced by the romantic movement “La Renaixença Catalan”, or the Catalan Renaissance. He was also inspired by medieval and gothic arts and architectures, oriental structures and organic shapes of nature. Gaudí’s work was provocative because it did not correspond to any of the architectural and artistic criteria of his time. As a result, the artist remained isolated by his visionary creativity most of his lifetime. Gaudí was commissioned mainly by industry tycoon Eusebio Güell, for whom he realized several buildings, parks and interiors. A religious man, the influence of Gaudí’s Christian devotion is often recognizable in or is the object of his work. He was commissioned by several religious orders for different works. Gaudí undertook the construction of his most famous work, La Sagrada Familia cathedral, in Barcelona in 1883. His accidental death in 1926 at 74 years-old prevented him from completing this monumental endeavor, which had become an obsession. Started in Gothic style and continued with extreme artistic freedom by several artists and architects, the cathedral is still under construction today.