Miquel Blay i Fàbregas

Miguel Blay y Fàbregas (in Catalan, Miquel Blay i Fàbregas) (8 October 1866, Olot - 22 January 1936, Madrid) was a Spanish sculptor.

Biography

Blay was born in the city of Olot, in the province of Girona to a humble family. He begins his formal education in the Municipal Drawing School and the studio of El Arte Cristiano where he was a disciple of Josep Berga i Boix and the painter Joaquim Vayreda. In the studio of El Arte Cristiano he drew and painted various Christian pieces. At the end of 1888, he receives a grant from the provincial government of Girona to study in Paris.

In Paris he studied at Ecole des beaux-arts and at the Academie Julian under the sculptor Henri Chapu, whom Blay credits to having a large influence on his sculpture. Blay leaves Paris for a few months to study in Rome and return to Olot. In 1889 he wins a gold medal in the Universal Exhibition in Paris and the following year is named knight of the French Legion of Honor. In 1892, Blay competes in the National Exposition of Fine Arts and wins first prize for his work . The piece was also awarded a gold medal in Barcelona in 1894.

La Canción Popular Catalana:

In 1905, Blay was approached by Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner to create a group of sculptures for the facade of the Palau de la Musica Catalana, a concert hall in Barcelona. The building is known for its Art Nouveau style and is made up of a mix of glass, metalwork, sculpture, and ceramic mosaics. Miguel Blay created a group of sculptures titled “La canción popular catalana” (The Catalan Folk Song) for the facade of the building. The sculptures depict different characters of varying social classes: children, peasants, sailors, etc. In the center, there is a female figure that represents the Catalan song. Above her the patron saint of Barcelona, Sant Jordi, stands holding a sword, protecting her and the other sculptures. It is said to show that people of all classes can enjoy the traditional Catalan music.

Monument to Romanones