The Sagrada Família: The Astonishing Story of Gaudí’s Unfinished Masterpiece

Art historian van Hensbergen (Gaudí: A Biography) crafts an admiring study of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece, the Sagrada Família, tracing its evolution from local basilica to one of the world’s most recognizable structures. Weaving in stories of Gaudí’s work on other projects, van Hensbergen chronicles how the church represented its creator’s devotion to his Catholic faith and served as a Bible in stone, reflecting the blending of God, man, and nature as one. Working from the 1880s through to his death in 1926, Gaudí employed new technologies such as photography and modeling to maintain correct size and scale with remarkable accuracy even by today’s standards. The book also examines political and social upheavals in Spain over those years, including the Spanish Civil War and two world wars. These led to major destruction but failed to halt the construction of the basilica, which is ongoing. Van Hensbergen serves as an enthusiastic guide in this more than thorough account of one of the world’s most eccentric and stunning buildings. (July)