Exhibitions
Domingo Balet participated in national and international contest and exhibitions to publicize his projects and achieve prestige in the world of architecture, but these exhibitions also served as a showcase for wealthy visitors and potential future clients.
Index:
1.Sant Jordi Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts Awards
In his time as a student, he participated in the contest organized annually by the Academy of Fine Arts and obtained the following awards:
Course of 1863 and 1864: Copper Medal in Linial Drawing. The exercise consisted of drawing according to scale the projections of a right and circular cylinder whose generatrix is 20 meters and the radius of the base is 8, with a section given by an oblique plane to the axis and to the bases; drawing at the same time the development of the total cylinder and the partial of the section.
Course of 1864 and 1865: Silver medal for topography and a work analogous to the subject. The project presented consisted of a plan of a land located on the seashore; to the east there were mountains and to the west and north irrigated land with a canal. It was also considered that there would be a railway and a road of the first order. Scale of one by ten thousand and the dimensions of the plane would be thirty centimeters long by twenty centimeters of oblique light latitude.
Source: Book of minutes of the Royal Catalan Academy of Fine Arts of Sant Jordi
2. Artistic-Industrial Exhibition 1876
In 1876, the Center for Masters of Works organized a great artistic-industrial exhibition that opened on January 7 of that year at the headquarters. The exhibition featured 26 master builders and 119 additional exhibitors showing a variety of works in painting, sculpture, engraving, casting, photography, archaeology, lampwork, bronzes, stonework, artificial stone, mosaic, carpentry, locksmithing, hardware. , ceramics, lightning rods, wallpapers, among others.
The idea for this exhibition came from Gerónimo Granell Mundet, an active master builder, who had the collaboration of a group of colleagues. The premises on Calle del Pino, 5, were decorated by Macario Planella, Domingo Balet and Tiberio Sabater, while the assembly of the exhibition was in charge of these and other collaborators.
The success of the exhibition, evidenced by its expressive catalogue, motivated the Center's board to organize an artistic-industrial competition similar to that of the Ateneo Barcelona for the following year. More than 600 works were presented, including 66 architectural projects, in various categories such as architecture, carpentry, locksmithing, ceramics and artificial stone. Although the architecture prize was void, prizes were awarded in other categories.
The exhibition included important works such as “The Gunfight” and the “Battle of Wad Ras” by Mariano Fortony, as well as works by Rigaud, Urgell, Vayreda, Rigalt, Reynés, Pellicer, Fuxá, among others. The success of the exhibition was confirmed by the 10,000 people who visited it in just 15 days.
In addition to the exhibition, the Master Builders also collaborated on topography work, including collaboration with Ildefonso Cerdá in the survey of the surrounding area of Barcelona and help in laying the railway lines that were being laid out in Catalonia in the last quarter of the last century.
The importance of the Center of Masters of Works and the prestige of its members was demonstrated when in 1878 the Artistic and Archaeological Association of Barcelona requested to establish itself in the Center's premises, which was gladly granted. In the following years, two more exhibitions were held, one of jewelry, miniatures and enamels and another of costumes and weapons.
Fountain:Libro Los Maestros de Obras de Barcelona, Juan Bassegoda Nonell
Engraving from 1877 of the Industrial Artistic Exhibition at the headquarters of the Center for Masters of Works on Pino Street Nº5 in Barcelona in the well-known Maldà Palace or even better known as Maldà Galleries
Cover of the book where the following information appears.
3. Drawing contest at the Ateneo Barcelonés 1877
In 1876 the Ateneo Barcelonés announced in its minutes the organization of a drawing contest for the application of art in industry. The contest was divided into different themes:
Decorative painting
Decorative sculpture
Cabinetmaking
Ceramics
locksmith
Metalwork
Fabrics
Prints
A year later, in 1877, the winners were published, naming Domènec Balet the winner in the locksmith section for his project: Chandeliers and metal lighting braces for a Gothic church; with the motto "Nova et Veritas".
As the winner, Domingo Balet was awarded a bronze medal at the Ateneo Barcelonés and as a prize he will be presented with a collection of the works of Hipólito Flandrín (reproduced in lithography and photography).
Source: Ateneo Barcelonés; Minutes Ateneu Barcelonès 1876 i 1877
4. Universal Exhibition of Barcelona 1888
The publication "La Exposición" of the month of May 1888 explains the participation of Domingo Balet as the person in charge of directing the German pavilion.
The news also alludes to the fact that the Munich company Franz Xaver Zettler, specializing in the manufacture of large windows, sent one of them to be installed in said pavilion.
The pavilion in question was number XIX, located in the Gran Palacio de la Indústria, and had an area of 1,600m2. Inside, there was a decoration made up of flags, shields and stained glass windows as well as the busts of the deceased emperors Guillermo I and Federico III. In addition, it housed a variety of exhibitors that showed watches, bottles of water and cologne, fabrics, silverware, artistic furniture, potato brandies, wine, among others.
Source: Guia de Barcelona y su exposición - J.Pujal y F.Dollet
Old woodcut of the interior of the German flag
Franz Xaver Zettler
5. 1st General Exhibition of Fine Arts of Barcelona 1891
Domènec Balet presented several projects at the exhibition held at the Palacio de les Bellas Artes (now defunct) obtaining a Diploma of Honor:
Thermal baths, Hotel and Spa in Garriga in the spring of the ancient Roman Thermal Baths. From the information we have at the moment and after speaking with the Heritage Area of the Garriga City Council, it seems that this project was not finally carried out by Domènec Balet.
Dining room of the Vila Fabra in Alella (House of the Marques de Alella)
Facade of the typographic establishment of Messrs. Successors of N. Martinez Cª
Facade of the New Summer Theater <New Retreat>
Oratory and dining room for the house of Don Andrés Anglada
Palace of Fine Arts, built in 1888 and demolished in 1942
6. Chicago World's Fair 1893
Domingo Balet presented several projects at this exhibition in Chicago (USA), considered the first great Universal Exhibition in History, where his fellow student Rafael Guastavino Moreno was guest of honor at the International Architecture Congress held there and his fame caused that he was also elected a member of the jury in the architecture section of the exhibition in which Domingo Balet won the Gold Medal:
Ceiling of the performance hall of the Great Theater of Liceo in Barcelona
Details of the ceiling of the Great Teater of Liceo in Barcelona
Facade of the typographic establishment of Messrs. Successors of N. Martinez Cª
Thermal baths, Hotel and Spa in Garriga in the spring of the ancient Roman Thermal Baths
Facade Villa Planás
Fuente: Google Books: Spain Comisión, Exposición universal de Chicago, 1893
7. 2nd General Exhibition of Fine Arts of Barcelona 1894
He presented two projects at the exhibition:
Villa Faura in Sant Pere de Torelló
Portabella family Pantheon
8. 3rd General Exhibition of Fine Arts of Barcelona 1896
He presented several projects to the exhibition with his Architect son Josep:
Ceiling of the performance hall of the Great Theater of Liceo in Barcelona
Details of the ceiling of the Great Teater of Liceo in Barcelona
Facade Villa Planás in Sedanyola del Vallès
Diario de Barcelona 14/06/1896
