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La Rotonda, a modernist treasure in Barcelona
The late XIX century – early XXth century was quite an important time for the artistic development in Barcelona. Art Nouveau, under the name of Modernism, was taking over the city day by day, and architects, artists, and intellectuals were experimenting with new techniques and creations.
One of the most important names for Catalan Modernism is, without a doubt, Ramón Casas. He was the heir of one of the richest bourgeois families of the city, as well as one of the best painters of the new movement. Thanks to the economical position of his family, Ramón Casas was very well connected to the richest members of Catalan society, who were his main clients.
The high society would often meet at parties and events, but also at the opera in the beautiful Theater of Liceu, in Las Ramblas. This amazing building was inaugurated in 1847 as the biggest opera theater of the XIX century Europe, and it quickly became the point of reference and confluence for the artistic, social and political life of Barcelona. Attached to this theater, there is what is known as “The Circle of Liceu”. The Circle is the name for the building as well as for the club that meets in it. Founded in 1847 by the main sponsors of the theater to which is attached, this gentleman club* is the oldest social club in Spain.
If you want to see what real Modernism looks like, you need to visit this building. Its decoration is one of the most beautiful exhibitions of Art Nouveau one can ever see. The art collection, the furniture, the stained glass windows, and even the door’s knobs, are the perfect example of the exuberance and beauty of Catalan Modernism. You can see some of them in this link: https://www.circulodelliceo.es/es/instalaciones.html
Can you guess who was a member,? Exactly, our painter Ramón Casas was one of the founders of The Circle of Liceu. And not only that, but he also contributed to the decoration of the club. In 1901 he started to decorate one of the rooms called “La Rotonda (‘The Roundabout’), where the club’s members gathered to smoke cigars. Ramón Casas had just been in Paris, so the french influence is remarkable in the 12 paintings that decorate these walls. The common subject for all the paintings is music (in different scenarios), but instead of painting muses or goddesses as it was usual in these cases, Ramón Casas opted for representing burgeois young women as the protagonists of his paintings. The elegance, charm, delicacy, and smoothness of these 12 paintings speak for themselves. Situated in a very dark ambiance, the light coming from the feminine figures and the life coming from the cheerful scenes, make this little room, one of the most amazing and impressive artistic treasures of Barcelona.
* Although for many years it was only for male members, in 2001 the Circle of Liceu accepted the first female member, no other than the great soprano Montserrat Caballé.
Sources:
https://bajoelsignodelibra.blogspot.com/2012/09/la-rotonda-del-circulo-del-liceo.html
https://www.museunacional.cat/es/colleccio/autorretrato/ramon-casas/027268-d
https://www.circulodelliceo.es/es/instalaciones.html
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