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The
family history of the Serra ceramists began with Antoni
Serra Fiter (1869-1932) within the Modernism framework
a Catalan version of Art Nouveau from the
end of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX
century. Modernism
means to say, above all, an enthusiasm for modernism
which went in harmony with the changes that were
taking place in the industrial city at that time. It
is a cultural replica of the industrial revolution which
was developing in Barcelona at the end of the
century that has an undertone of Gaudi, of Els Quatre
Gats, of the development of Picasso, of the
poet Maragall, etc. Antoni Serra Fiter, originally a
painter, ended up specialising in ceramics and founded
the Manufactura de Porcelanas y Gres artísticos(1904-1908),
the first studio
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to
specialise in porcelain and ceramics as an art in the
Spanish State. An important challenge, given that until
then the autochthonic tradition was limited to popular
ceramics or to the concept of craftsmanship. More over:
Antonio Serra Fiter became a founder of contemporary
ceramics in our country when he introduced and spread
new high temperature baking techniques and new materials
with all the implications that that had.
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By
this means he widened the notion of ceramics beyond
painted ceramics and even further beyond the traditional
craftsmanship ceramics. Subsequently he lectured at
the Escuela Superior de Bellas Artes(1921-1924),
and this marked a point of reference for the next generation
for example, Llorens Artigas, one of his
many disciples , consolidated the concept of the art
of ceramics and became a technically advanced
ceramist. Antoni Serra Fiter, as a ceramist and expert,
endowed ceramics with a scientific
and technical foundation which was the base for the
development of contemporary ceramics. Thus, the notion
of archaic and primitive ceramics was overcome and ceramics
was viewed as a creative art form. Thus, his innovation
was not reduced to strictly technical aspects. Antoni
Serra y Fiter was also one of the pioneers when he introduced
a new concept of an artistic object which went beyond
the traditional view of this work. With an undertone
of Modernism, industrialisation and the appearance of
the middle class, there emerged a new way of understanding
art, which did not exist until that moment in time:
the small object, relatively cheap, made semi industrially,
in reduced sets.
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In this context ceramics was an ideal means and Antoni
Serra Fiter took advantage of it to reach a new concept:
the artistic object of Modernism.
Antoni
Serra Fiter, as ceramist, makes personalised pieces
himself, although one of his greatest personal merits
consists in having chosen as collaborators the most
anxious artists of the epoch: young artists who later
will end up being the most important creators of contemporary
Catalan art. His studio was also responsible for transforming
into porcelain the original works of important sculpturers
such as Enric Casanovas, Ismael Smith, Miquel Blay,
Pau Gargallo, Joan Carreras, Gustau Violet, Agapit Vallmitjana
Abarca, Joan Llimona, Dionís Renart, and collaborates
in the decoration of jugs with Josep Pey, Maria Rusiñol
or Xavier Nogues.
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Biographical issues |
| 1875 |
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He
begins as a painter, practice that combine with other
labour activities. La baralla (1897) is the best
picture of Antoni Serra Fiter.
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| 1893
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In
other civic activities related with art, he is a founder
member of the association Academia Artística
libre composed by artists as Santiago Rusiñol,
Ramon Casas, Isidre Nonell, Joan Brull, Ramon Pichot,
entre altres.
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| 1904
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He
founds the manufacture, Fábrica de porcelanas
y gres artísticos, the first workshop specialized
in artistic ceramics of the Spanish State.
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| 1907
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He
participates in different international exhibitions
in Madrid, Londres and Paris. He obtains, among other
prizes, the diploma "Gran Prix" in London.
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| 1921
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Teacher
of Ceramics in l'Escola Superior dels Bells Oficis
(Barcelona) where he introduces a new tecnic concept
of ceramics.
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| 1926
-28 |
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He founds again the family company in la Masia
with his sons , Antoni, Josep and Enric, known nowadays
as Can Serra and situated in the limit between the municipality
of Cornellà and Hospitalet de Llobregat, beggining,
consistently, a new stage.
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