One of the many wonderful things about exploring Barcelona is happening across curious sculptures in unexpected places.

Here’s a sculpture of a submarine by Josep Maria Subirachs in Dreta de l’Eixample at the junction of Avinguda Diagonal/Carrer Provença and Carrer de Girona.

The sculpture commemorates Narcís Monturiol’s invention of the first submarine, Ictineo II, powered by an engine.

Here’s a detail of the underside:

The Inventor

Narcís Monturiol i Estarriol (b. 1819 — d. 1895) was a curious character, in all senses of the term. He was a Utopian communist and a friend of Ildefons Cerdà, the engineer who designed the Eixample.

The Artist

Josep Subirachs, who died in 2014, is the same artist responsible for the Passion Facade on the Sagrada Familia, and the large sculpture of inverted steps (Monument to President Macià) installed in Plaça Catalunya.

The nearby bar-restaurant, Morryssom, has a few prints by Subirachs in the downstairs bar.

Here’s a detail from the base of the sculpture:

LINKS:

Here’s a Wikipedia page in English about Ictineo II, the submarine featured above: HERE.

Here’s a Wikipedia page in English about Narcís Monturiol: HERE.

Here’s a Wikipedia page in English about Josep Maria Subirachs: HERE.

Here’s my Spotted by Locals write-up about Morryssom: HERE.

And, here’s a link to an interesting feature about submarines in Barcelona: HERE.

Enjoy discovering sculpture in Barcelona.