The mural paintings of La Pedrera

The god Pan playing the syrinx, a garden, the capital sins, bouquets of flowers, the god Vertumnus transforming himself to seduce the goddess Pomona, a banquet, a sun, an eagle, and even a shipwreck are some of the scenes depicted in the paintings distributed across the two entrance vestibules of La Pedrera.

Upon crossing the wrought-iron door of the building, visitors are immediately struck by the mural paintings on the walls and ceilings of the vestibules. Behind their cameras, visitors immortalize every corner, and the paintings captivate them instantly—more because of their visual impact than because they recognize the scenes depicted, as their iconography is difficult to identify at first glance.

Little has been written about the vestibule paintings, and some authors have even pointed out that they were not on a par with the modernity represented by La Pedrera. Nevertheless, they are an essential part of the building’s decorative repertoire. The original project for the vestibules consisted of a series of murals that imitated mythological tapestries from the collection of the National Heritage.

Thanks to recent research carried out by Dr. Carlos Alejandro Lupercio, we are now able to confirm their authorship and identify the scenes represented. The Symbolist painter Aleix Clapés (1846–1920) was responsible for directing the pictorial decoration of La Pedrera. Assisting Clapés in this task were the notable painters Iu Pascual, Xavier Nogués, and Teresa Lostau, who at that time were emerging talents.

The video offers a tour of the two entrance vestibules of La Pedrera, showcasing the pictorial repertories and their documentary references.

The mural paintings of La Pedrera