The Best Coffee Table Books About Gaudi

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A selection of the best books about Antoni Gaudi's architecture

Antoni (or Antonio) Gaudi is one of the world's greatest architects. His beautiful buildings appear throughout the city of Barcelona and are well worth a visit. Even if you can't visit in person, there are many fascinating books that discuss both Gaudi himself, and show his gorgeously artistic buildings. And what better gift for a cold Christmas than a book full of warm photos for people to escape to?

A Gaudi coffee table book is an ideal talking piece, eye candy for spare moments, and a way to transport yourself into the ideal summer holiday. Antoni Gaudi's architecture is some of the most inspiring, original and creative - as well as just lovely to look at - in the world. A book of photos of his unique buildings in sunny Barcelona is ideal for browsing through, idly planning exciting travel trips to Spain, and generating an aura of art and sophistication to your visitors. If you have an interest in Art Nouveau, then you'll find the descriptions and designs of great interest.

Introduction photo of the stained glass windows of la Sagrada Familia by Be_dazzled

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The Best Antoni Gaudi Coffee Table Books

The best gift books about Gaudi's architecture

There is a fine selection of books, in all sizes, featuring arrays of gorgeous photographs of buildings such as La Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila, Casa Battlo and the houses and walkways of Parc Guell. to name but a few examples. Most of these double as a biography of Antoni Gaudi, as his life history and education influenced his work, as well as the fact that he ever got commissioned to build anything!

Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudí by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez

Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni GaudĂ­ by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez

In a small village in Spain lives a boy named Antoni more...0 points

Barcelona by Robert Hughes

Barcelona by Robert Hughes

From the bestselling author of The Fatal Shore com more...0 points

Gaudi of Barcelona by Luis Permanyer

Gaudi of Barcelona by Luis Permanyer

The work of Antoni GaudĂ­ (1852-1926) defines the city more...0 points

Gaudi by Juan Eduardo Cirlot

Gaudi by Juan Eduardo Cirlot

A complete photographic anthology of Gaudí´s wor more...0 points

Gaudi: The Complete Buildings (Architecture & Design) by Rainer Zerbst

Gaudi: The Complete Buildings (Architecture & Design) by Rainer Zerbst

The complete works of the great Antoni Gaud? (TASC more...0 points

Antonio Gaudi: Master Architect (Tiny Folio) by Juan Bassegoda Nonell

Antonio Gaudi: Master Architect (Tiny Folio) by Juan Bassegoda Nonell

Antonio GaudĂ­ (1852-1926) is one of the best-known more...0 points

Antoni Gaudi, 1852-1926: From Nature to Architecture (Taschen Basic Architecture) by Maria Antonietta Crippa

Antoni Gaudi, 1852-1926: From Nature to Architecture (Taschen Basic Architecture) by Maria Antonietta Crippa

Inspiring, visionary buildings by the great GaudĂ­ more...0 points

Gaudi: A Biography by Gijs Van Hensbergen

Gaudi: A Biography by Gijs Van Hensbergen

At the time of his death in 1926, Antoni GaudĂ­ was more...0 points

“Those who look for the laws of Nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the creator.”

1. Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi

Rachel Victoria Rodriguez (Author), Julie Paschkis (Illustrator)

A lyrical book that pairs poetical text with original illustrations. Suitable for children and as a highly accessible and innovative introduction to Gaudi, introducing him with

"For GaudĂ­, building is serious.
Everything must function.
But he isn't afraid to use
his imagination."

Building on Nature: The Life of Antoni Gaudi

Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 05/27/2012)Buy Now
List Price: $16.99
Used Price: $9.01

Current Review Status: Five stars, 21 reviews

2. Barcelona

By Robert Hughes


Barcelona


Robert Hughes is a recognised and highly acclaimed author on Barcelona. If you're looking for more information about Barcelona at the time of Gaudi - the politics, culture and influences that his work was set in - then you want to read Barcelona by Robert Hughes. This book looks at the architectural golden years of 1850 and 1925 and is a brilliant book to read before visiting Barcelona, as understanding the stories behind everything you look at can only improve your visit!

Barcelona

Amazon Price: $7.92 (as of 05/27/2012)Buy Now
List Price: $21.00
Used Price: $1.73

Current Review Status: Four stars, fifteen reviews
Other formats available (audio, hardcover)

3. Gaudi of Barcelona

Luis Permanyer (author) Melba Levick (photographer)

A photographic guide to Gaudi's amazing organic architecture, containing 178 brilliant photographs, 13 maps and accompanying description and discussion. While it is not a comprehensive guide to Gaudi's architecture (to those who actively study him), it is a wonderful introduction and provides a great deal of insight into the background of the buildings.

Gaudi of Barcelona

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Current Review Status: Four stars, eight reviews
Approximate price: Hardcover $63; Secondhand - from $6

4. Gaudi

Juan Eduardo Cirlot (Author), Pere Vivas (Photographer), Ricard Pla (Translator)

A complete photographic anthology of Gaudi's architecture, containing twelve years of photographs, looking about both the technical details and the aesthetics of the structures. The photos are accompanied with concise descriptions.

GAUDI INTRODUCTION TO HIS ARCHITECTURE

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Current Review Status: Five stars, one review
Approximate price: Hardcover - $60; paperback - $9; Secondhand - from $3.30

5. Gaudi: The Complete Buildings (Architecture & Design)

By Rainer Zerbst

Gaudi: The Complete Buildings (Architecture & Design)TASCHEN's 25th anniversary special edition is slightly out of date (which only matters for the Sagrada Familia, which is still being built). It is a good coffee-table sized book, and examines his entire career through photographs, text and architectural sketches.

It's actually the book I bought for my mother's Christmas present and appears to be the only book about Gaudi avalable in New Zealand bookstores (the horror! I had to find a special art store in the end, to find it).

It's a large book - definitely a coffee table book. It has a lot of photographs and while a lot of them are quite shadowy, they also have no people in - it appears the creators traded off the best lighting for times of day when they could actually get a clear shot! Many of the photos aren't captioned, but they are grouped into neat chapters and if you read through carefully, most of them are explained. The book itself is quite interesting. It's a good book to give someone who already knows what Gaudi's buildings are, or is also getting a more 'introductory' book. Or who is much more interested in the pictures - the architectural design side - than the travel and tourism side.

Gaudi: The Complete Buildings (Architecture & Design S.)

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Current review status: 4 stars, 1 review

6. Gaudi: Complete Works (Evergreen Series) (English, German and French Edition)

Gaudi: Complete Works (Evergreen Series) (English, German and French Edition)

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“Copiers do not collaborate.”

7. Antonio Gaudi: Master Architect (Tiny Folio)

Juan Bassegoda Nonell (Author), Melba Levick (Photographer)

Antonio Gaudi: Master Architect (Tiny Folio)

Amazon Price: $6.98 (as of 05/28/2012)Buy Now
List Price: $11.95
Used Price: $3.56

Current review status: 4.5 stars, 8 reviews

8. Antoni Gaudi, 1852-1926: From Nature to Architecture (Taschen Basic Architecture)

Maria Antonietta Crippa (Author), Peter Gossel (Editor)

Part of the TASCHEN's Basic Architecture Series - 'Compact Overviews of the World's Greatest Architects' this book acts as a splendid starter to Gaudi's life and work. It gives a good overview using photographs, sketches, drawings, and floor plans, and several articles on Gaudi's architecture, character, upbringing and influences. It provides a good jumping off point into more serious study, with a list of complete works, biography, bibliography and a map at the end.

Antoni Gaudi, 1852-1926: From Nature to Architecture (Taschen Basic Architecture)

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9. Gaudi: A Biography

by Gijs Van Hensbergen

Gaudi: A BiographyGaudi: A Biography by Gijs Van Hensbergen
This book is a splendid resource, full of colour and black-and-white illustrations, for anyone studying Gaudi, or simply interested in his life and his art.
[Excerpt from editorial review: Cahners Business Information]: In 16 lucid chapters, Gaudi's life and work are examined, from his ardent Catholicism and patriotism to his celibacy, which resulted from a disappointment in love.

The chapter titles reflect the architect's own high-flown ambitions, but the writing doesn't contain the flatulent prose sometimes produced by fans of builders and buildings. Gaudi's often combative dealings with civic authorities are recounted clearly, up to his death in a street accident involving a tram, and are reconstructed as thoroughly as possible, yet not elaborated on or fabricated, as many another biographer might have tried to do.

Gaudi: A Biography

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“The creation continues incessantly through the media of man.”

Antoni Gaudi Stained Glass and Mosaic Ornaments

Beautiful photographic ornaments from Zazzle!

If you love Antoni Gaudi's fantastic and inspiring architecture, adore intricate mosaics, are longing to visit Barcelona or had your breath taken away by the beautiful stained glass of the Sagrada Familia, then you'll love the unique photography in this Zazzle store.

Choose from a whole selection of marvellous ornaments to hang on your tree this Christmas! (And order early, to make sure they arrive - and so you can buy more as gifts when you see how marvellously they turn out!).
Antoni Gaudi Stained Glass and Mosaic Ornaments
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Miniature Gaudi Jigsaw Puzzle by Educa Borras

A miniature thousand piece puzzle showing all of Gaudi's buildings

An artistic rendition of all of Gaudi's buildings!
My parents brought me this one back from their trip to Barcelona in 2010. It's about 2/3s the size of a normal 1000 piece puzzle with dainty pieces. Challenging enough to keep me going a while, and interesting enough to enjoy the time it took.

It comes with a special glue that allows you to frame the finished puzzle - and can be broken up again!

Educa Borras 1000 Piece Miniature Puzzle-Collage, Gaudi

Amazon Price: $13.95 (as of 05/27/2012)Buy Now

* European Quality
* Manufactured using green and blue board
* Lost Puzzle Piece Guarantee
* The smallest 1000 piece puzzle in the world.
* Perfectly Printed and fitted

Gaudi Jigsaw Puzzles

For the Gaudi enthusiast and the puzzle lover - frame it when you've finished!

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Gaudi Jigsaw Puzzles on eBay

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Sagrada Familia Nanoblock Model

Build your own tiny version of the famous church!

Nanoblock Architecture NBH-004 - Sagrada Familia (non-LEGO)

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Nanoblock is a micro-sized building block system with its smallest parts being a mere 4x4x5mm. It is a stimulating hobby material for everyone, but especially for grown-ups who wish to be absorbed in making projects in great detail.

“Originality consists in returning to the origin.”

Odd Gaudi Gifts

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Gaudi by The Alan Parsons Project

Music inspired by Gaudi

An album from The Alan Parsons Project around the works of Antoni Gaudi

Parc Guell Mosaic Green and Rainbow ornament
Parc Guell Mosaic Green and Rainbow by Be_dazzled
Shop for a new Christmas tree ornament

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  • mismatch Jul 31, 2011 @ 4:57 pm | delete
    Antonio Gaudi is a great artist. We are blessed to be left with most of his works to be seen by all.

An Online Tour of Gaudi's Buildings!

Visit la Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila and Parc Guell!

To learn more about Antoni Gaudi and his unique creations, take a tour through the pages below.
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More About Antoni Gaudi 

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Antonio Gaudi - The Criterion Collection 

Antonio Gaudi (The Criterion Collection)

Amazon Price: $27.95 (as of 05/27/2012)Buy Now

This is actually a fantastic DVD tour of Gaudi's work, directed by Hiroshi Teshigahara.



Gaudi - 2011 (Taschen Wall Calendars)
Gaudi - 2011 (Taschen Wall Calendars)



Casa Mila by Antoni Gaudi
Casa Mila by Antoni Gaudi 13.5