Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Catalonia, Spain

Stained-Glass Oculi with Trencadís Fish Mosaics at the Crypt of Colonia Güell

2060

Catalan Modernisme, 1908–1915

An oculus and surrounding mosaic detail from the Crypt of Colonia Güell, designed by Antoni Gaudí with Francesc Berenguer i Mestres and constructed 1908–1915. The aperture is a teardrop or petal-shaped opening held by a custom star-like ironwork armature supporting leaded stained glass panels in warm pinks, greens, yellows, and blues, assembled in an abstract floral medallion pattern within the petal-shaped frame. Surrounding the oculus in the dark masonry, trencadís fish-shaped mosaics are embedded directly into the stone — small ichthys forms assembled from colored ceramic fragments arranged to mimic the scales and body of a fish. Geometric diamond-shaped tiles and circular medallions bearing sacred monograms complete the mosaic field above the aperture.