The exhibition "Retrat de la Barcelona marítima. Una visió de Francesc Soler i Rovirosa" (Portrait of Maritime Barcelona. A vision from Francesc Soler i Rovirosa) on at the Maritime Museum, which shows the restoration and study of the picture "Vista del port de Barcelona" (View of Barcelona Port), has brought to light a streetlamp designed by Gaudi in 1878, the first image showing the streetlamp in its original location.

In 1878, Antoni Gaudí, commissioned by Barcelona City Council, designed a series of streetlamps to provide public lighting for the city.This was the architect's first official commission, having obtained his official title as architect that same year.

The streetlamps were to be placed in Plaça Reial, Pla del Palau and Passeig Nacional, and it is this one that has been discovered in the painting by Francesc Soler i Rovirosa. This find is hugely important as it is the only known image of the streetlamp in this location.

Gaudí's Streetlamp

Gaudí designed two models of streetlamp with an elaborate design which included a stone plinth with cast stone overlay, a post bearing the city's shield and three or six arms, depending on the model, which were crowned with gas lamps with a very individual design.

Chronicles tell us that in September 1879, two of the six-armed models were installed in the Plaça Reial and in 1880 four of the three-armed models were installed, two in Pla del Palau in front of the Duana Vella and two more in the Passeig Nacional, what is now Passeig Joan de Borbó. It is one of these that can be seen in the picture, which is extremely interesting as it is the only known image of the streetlamp in this location.

Francesc Soler i Rovirosa reproduced the streetlamp with Gaudí's original adornments in bright contrasting colours. A streetlamp that lit up the avenue until it was removed at the beginning of the 20th century, when alterations were being carried out, and it was never returned to that spot.