The spiritual conception of art of architect Luis Barragán through Marcel Proust’s literary work

Abstract

One of the most important qualities of the domestic spaces of Luis Barragán's architecture is their mystical atmosphere. This characteristic is mainly due to the spiritual conception that the architect attributed to the beauty of art and architecture. This notion of beauty could be explained from the family and cultural-religious origins of the Tapatia region where Barragán grew up and was educated. However, after having made an analysis of his personal library in the Archives of the Luis Barragán Tapatia Foundation for Architecture, a set of books with abundant reading marks were found where, among various topics, the Mexican architect delved into the nature of architecture. spirituality of art and its link with Eternity. These books, for the most part, are part of the work and the collection of critical reviews of Marcel Proust's literature, where the architect not only coincided with the metaphysical thought that governed the work of the French writer, but also with his perspective of Art. In this way, the objective of this article is to clarify,through the literary work of Marcel Proust, the spiritual conception that Barragán attributed to art and beauty, in order to later understand how it contributed to his critical position that materialized in materiality. and spatiality of its architecture.