Jujol

Catalan architect Josep Maria Jujol i Gilbert (1879-1949) was unfairly overshadowed by his prominent teacher, Antonio Gaudi, according to Sola-Morales, who teaches at Barcelona's Escuela de Arquitectura. Jujol's distorted designs, his inspirations (including art nouveau and Catholicism) and his commissions to apply his unconventional style to homes and churches are discussed here. Some 250 images by photographer Levick ( Great California Gardens ) show Jujol's surreal elaborations of functional objects: multihued mosaics and swirls of sgraffito adorn walls, benches and floors; undulating, organic forms are incorporated into iron gates and railings, giving them an elastic, sinuous quality; bricks are stacked to create erratic angles and curves for arches, towers and windows. Sola-Morales's well-researched text is dry, but the charm of Jujol's work is evident in Levick's striking photos. (Jun.)