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Antoni Gaudí — El Drac (Park Güell mosaic dragon)
Antoni Gaudí

El Drac (Park Güell mosaic dragon)

1906

This iconic mosaic dragon, affectionately known as El Drac, guards the entrance staircase of Park Güell in Barcelona. Crafted from vibrant trencadís fragments, a distinctive technique using broken ceramic tiles and colored glass, the sculpture bursts with brilliant blues, golds, oranges, and turquoise hues arranged in bold, rhythmic patterns. The dragon's elongated form curves organically across the curved architectural surfaces, its open mouth gaping downward toward a water feature below, embodying the Art Nouveau principle of integrating fantastical natural forms with functional design. As a seminal work of Catalan Modernism, this whimsical guardian exemplifies the movement's embrace of ornament, nature, and playful architectural innovation that defines the park's revolutionary urban vision. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

Medium
Trencadís mosaic sculpture

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About this work

Antoni Gaudí, El Drac (Park Güell mosaic dragon), 1906

This iconic mosaic dragon, affectionately known as El Drac, guards the entrance staircase of Park Güell in Barcelona. Crafted from vibrant trencadís fragments, a distinctive technique using broken ceramic tiles and colored glass, the sculpture bursts with brilliant blues, golds, oranges, and turquoise hues arranged in bold, rhythmic patterns. The dragon's elongated form curves organically across the curved architectural surfaces, its open mouth gaping downward toward a water feature below, embodying the Art Nouveau principle of integrating fantastical natural forms with functional design. As a seminal work of Catalan Modernism, this whimsical guardian exemplifies the movement's embrace of ornament, nature, and playful architectural innovation that defines the park's revolutionary urban vision. Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)

Medium
Trencadís mosaic sculpture
Year
1906
Seen at
Park Güell

Related themes

Landmark, Monumental, Barcelona, Dragon, Outdoor, Architectural, Mosaic, Modernist, Art Nouveau, Public Art, Sculpture, Nature Inspired, Early Twentieth Century, Trencadís, Spanish Art, Iconic, Whimsical, Ceramic, Colorful, Catalan Modernism

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