Antoni Gaudí

Casa Battló, Barcelona
Collection Kiki and Pedro Uhart, Paris
Allan Stone Gallery, New York, acquired from the above, circa 1986

Gaudi & Busquets, Allan Stone Gallery, New York, November 4-December 20, 1986
Furniture by Gaudi and Busquets, Allan Stone Gallery, New York, September 9-November 26, 1996

Josep-Francesc Ràfols, Gaudí, Barcelona, 1929, p. 165
César Martinell, Gaudí: Su Vida, su Teoría, su Obra, Barcelona, 1967, p. 393
Juan Bergos Masso, Gaudí: El Hombre y la Obra, Barcelona, 1974, p. 6
Juan Bassegoda Nonell, El Gran Gaudí, Sabadell, 1989, p. 486
Juan José Lahuerta et al., Casa Batlló: Gaudí, Barcelona, 2001, pp. 29 and 33
David Ferrer, Gaudí, Barcelona, 2002, no. 8
Gaudí: Arte y Diseño, exh. cat., Fundació Caixa Catalunya, Barcelona, 2002, p. 102

Overall very good condition. The deeply undulating surface contours of the door give them a wonderful dimensionality and sculptural quality. The doors have been recently restored and are fit for use. Please consult the department for further information about installing these doors. The wooden surfaces present with a richly figured surface, the reverse of the doors, not shown in the catalogue illustration, with an original lighter finish. The overall surfaces with some surface scratches, a few discolorations and abrasions consistent with age and use. Some old worm holes concentrated along the edges of each door. The doors have been revitalized by sensitively undertaken restoration, which have filled in some gaps in the structure. The hinges, metal hardware and vertical door lock are original and present with traces of wear and surface scratches consistent with age and use. These doors are extraordinary architectural elements with historical provenance that encapsulates Gaudi’s innovative spirit. -----
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

These two monumental ash doors are from the oratory of the principal salon of the Casa Batlló (Barcelona, 1904-1906), one of Catalán architect Antoni Gaudí's (1852-1926) masterpieces. They were created by Gaudí’s trusted carpentry workshop, Casas i Bardés, which was uniquely equipped to translate into wood the visionary aesthetic of the Catalán master. In their closed position, the two leaves of the doors concealed a small altar. When religious rites were performed, the doors opened and “disappeared” by way of an ingenious system of hinges, essentially transforming the entire family salon into an oratory.

Photographs from the period reveal these marvelous closures in the context of Gaudí’s chimerical, panoptic vision. Their masterfully warped, undulating surface picks up on the shimmering light and organic pulsations of an architecture populated by marine motifs and invocations to the mythic history of Cataluña.

– Antonio Sama, Doctor in History of Art, Complutense University, Madrid