Bathers, Marina

Sculptor: Joan Rebull
Arquitecte: Antoni Puig Gairalt
Materials: Stone

Joan Rebull made the relief that is on the facade of this building, on the corner, in 1923, shortly before going to live to Paris, when he was more strongly influenced by evolutionists. It is formed by four equal plates and it can be seen that they do not exactly fit the size of the space that was reserved and it was necessary to leave a somewhat wider passepartout next to the bottom. It represents a couple of covered bathers, as befits the time, and well equipped with parasol, awning and deck chair. The man, wearing a cap, is sitting on the ground, and the woman is supported. In the background, on the right, two boats complete the scene.

He was commissioned by the architect of the building, Antoni Puig Gairalt, twelve years older than him, whom Rebull had known during his training in Barcelona. Rebull spent the entire decade of the twenties in France.

Both for Puig and for Rebull, these works represent very significant milestones of his career. The building, erected in 1927 in Via Laietana, opened a few years before, marks the beginning of art deco influences and the step towards formalism. Puig wanted the facade of the building to be apple-green, which, seen today, seems a clear success, but the municipal technicians did not give him the authorization, which created a certain scandal in the intelligent intellectual progressive media of the city. Rebull also want to make his contribution with this relief, which marks a clear break with the more classical root Noucentisme to start a more realistic path of Noucentisme in which Rebull would become a key figure. Puig built this building just before the Myrurgia factory.

The building has two entrances, one via Laietana number 4, which gives temporary access to judicial offices, and another through the transverse street of Joan Massana, although it bears number 6 of Via Laietana, which gives access to private offices and homes.