Mariano Fortuny at La Pedrera

This is going to be the last post related to Barcelona. For me though it was one of the best parts of this trip!

Didn't expect to find it, but as we passed by Gaudi's most famous building..La Pedrera, we saw a sign with one of the most known Fortuny creations..."The Delphos Dress". If you're a "SoHo Symposium" reader, you must already remember this dress as I have done another post about it (here) in the past!
So, in the first floor of the Pedrera and without even paying an entrance as it was FREE for the public, a whole exhibition was organized capturing the entire Fortuny spirit! Unfortunately the cameras weren't allowed, so no pics available...

Firstly there were the paintings. Mariano was known as the "Little Leonardo" and he studied painting by copying the works of the great masters.
Then, there were the parts of his theatrical life...Didn't know it but, as is written in the accompanying brochure, he was very passionate about the theatre and he even produced the "Fortuny Lighting System" which was later installed in leading theatres in German and Italy.
Later on, the Venice period with black and white pictures of Venice and at the very end of the exhibition, paintings and photos of his wife and muse Henriette Adele Nigrin and the Fortuny dresses!

When Fortuny decided to devote himself to textile design, which he did in close collaboration with Henriette, he had considerable experience in the theatrical world, for which he made costumes! For his creations, the artist turned to motifs from Greek and Minoan tradition as well as the Renaissance, Coptic art, Turkish fabrics, Hispano-Moorish art, the French Rococo and the art of China and Black Africa.

The Delphos revolutionised fashion by making the dream of freeing the female body a reality, and was an icon worn solely by women who, because of their profession, wealth or personality, felt themselves sufficiently independent to be able to flout the moral conventions of the day.

I have to admit that I was amazed to see with my own eyes the real Delphos dresses! They are simply amazing and I even imagined myself wearing them!... And here comes the BEST part! At the end of the exhibition with augmented reality's help, I could see myself inside all the Delphos dresses (it was something like this, in case you're not familiar with how the augmented reality works) !!!
This is the first time that I see something like this applied in fashion and I have to say that the fact that it was all free for the public, makes me appreciate it even more.

The Fortuny exhibition is the perfect example of how art can be modernized and can actually reach everybody.