The Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau has inaugurated a new Baroque Gallery dedicated to the preservation and promotion of one of Catalonia’s most significant collections of Baroque paintings, held by the Fundació Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Located on the second floor of the Administration Pavilion, the new exhibition space brings together 12 works from the 17th and 18th centuries and has been incorporated into the regular visitor route as of today, Thursday, 15 October.

The project has involved the recovery, restoration and rearrangement of a selection of works originating mainly from the former Hospital de la Santa Creu and its Convalescence House. This initiative offers a fresh perspective on the institution’s artistic heritage, which is closely linked to its history of healthcare, religion and institutional life.

The new Baroque Gallery occupies two rooms on the second floor of the Administration Pavilion. The first recreates the office of the Most Illustrious Administration. Based on historical photographs, the room has been restored to reflect its appearance in the mid-20th century, featuring period furniture, historical objects and the Baroque paintings that once adorned its walls.

The second room, previously excluded from the visitor route, has been converted into an exhibition space dedicated to the Baroque collection. The new exhibition design allows visitors to view works by several artists who played a prominent role in the development of Catalan painting during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Among the works on display, a group of four paintings by Antoni Viladomat i Manalt (1678–1755), considered the most representative painter of the Catalan Baroque, stands out. The collection also includes three paintings depicting hermit saints attributed to Joan Gallart (c. 1670–1714), a relatively little-known but highly accomplished artist who helped introduce landscape painting into Catalan Baroque art.

Beyond their artistic value, the works on display bear witness to the Hospital’s history and its ties to Barcelona society. The religious paintings, portraits of benefactors and institutional representations offer insight into the role of art in the institution’s daily life and in shaping its collective memory.

With the opening of the Baroque Gallery, the Recinte Modernista adds a chapter of Sant Pau’s history predating the construction of the architectural complex designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner to its visitor experience.

Through this initiative, the Fundació Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau reinforces its commitment to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

Visit the new Baroque Gallery