Lluís Domènech i Montaner (Domènec i Muntaner) (1850-1923) Catalan el modernisme architect and politician. He taught at Escola d'Arquitectura (the school of architecture) in Barcelona for more than 40 years and wrote a large number of articles on architecture theory. The journal La Renaixença published in 1878 his article "En busca d'una arquitectura nacional" (In search of national architecture) where he wrote about contemporary architects attempt to work out a style reflecting the Catalan character. As politician he played a prominent role in the Catalan Nationalist Movement. He is best known for two buildings The Holy Cross and Saint Paul's Hospital (Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau) and The Palace of Catalan Music (Palau de la Música Catalana) both included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Montaner’s architecture is characterized by a synthesis of form, function and symbol, and is non-rational because rationality in architecture is functional without aesthetically intensions. Keywords for Montaner's buildings are Moorish influence, decoration (e.g. ceramics and stained glasses), detail richness, sumptuousness, fantastic, harmony, architecture in motion, buildings illustrating heaviness and at the same time lightness as seen in Casa Lleò Morera, which is crowned with columns supporting a cupola.