old images of Barcelona
March 9th, 2010

The Barcelona Photographic Archive has just released a hundred or so photos taken between 1907 and 1908. They were taken by Frederic Ballell, one of the pioneers of Catalan photojournalism, who delighted in documenting the daily life of the city. Above a goat herder passes by Palau Moja, below a puppy seller. From La Rambla, hace un siglo

See also History of Les Rambles
Animals in Barcelona, El Raval, History of Barcelona, Las Ramblas, Photography exhibitions in Barcelona | Tags: Barcelona in 1907, Barcelona Photographic Archive, Catalan photojournalism, Frederic Ballell, Frederic Ballell photographs, old images of Barcelona, old photos of Barcelona, Old photos of Les Rambles, Palau Moja|
April 15th, 2009

This remarkable image is of the shanty town of El Carmel in the 1960s on what was then the outskirts of Barcelona. A number of these shacks have survived and been renovated into sturdier houses, sandwiched between high-rise blocks. Most of the El Carmel was developed in the 1960s and 1970s when immigrant workers flocked to the city and were forced to build housing for themselves. The area is today probably the most urbanistaically chaotic neighbourhood in the city.
El Carmel, History of Barcelona, Urbanism | Tags: Barcelona in the 1960s, barracas Carmel, informal constructions, Monte Carmel, old images of Barcelona, old photos of Barcelona, slums in Barcelona|
April 13th, 2009

Barceloneta Beach by Pablo Picasso, 1896 – Oil on canvas. Note the factories of Poble Nou and I think La Maquinista in the background. Picasso lived in the city as a young man between 1895 and 1904. It is also striking how bare the Catalan coast painted in the background was. We forget the massive reforestation in Spain since the 1960s as people no longer had to cut down trees for fuel.
- Picasso in Barcelona (Bcn.net). He said of Barcelona “There is where it all began… There is where I understood how far I could go“
- ” Picasso thrived in the city, regarding it in times of sadness or nostalgia as his true home.” (Wikipedia)
Art, Barcelona painters, Barceloneta, History of Barcelona, Paintings of Barcelona | Tags: Barcelona beach, old images of Barcelona, old images of Barceloneta, Picasso in Barcelona, quotes about Barcelona|