The god Pan playing the syrinx in La Pedrera

As we go through the wrought-iron and glass door of the building, we are greeted by the remarkable paintings on the walls of the entrance halls of Casa Milà.

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One of the tapestries displayed in the Passeig de Gràcia courtyard of La Pedrera depicts Pan and Syrinx, set within the Roman myth of the gods Vertumnus and Pomona, which recounts the origin of the Pan flute.

In Greek mythology, Syrinx was a nymph who enjoyed hunting with a bow. Pan, the god of shepherds and flocks, encountered her one day, fell in love and began to pursue her. Cornered, Syrinx threw herself into a river, where she sought help from her fellow nymphs. Moved by her plight, they transformed her into a reed bed.

When Pan arrived, he could only embrace the reeds swaying in the wind. Enchanted by the sound they made, he decided to create a new musical instrument using them. This became the Pan flute or syrinx, named in honour of the nymph.

The tapestry encapsulates this legend: “Pan playing a seven-reed flute, with Syrinx at his side, rejecting him with her raised arm.” Pan is portrayed as a half-man, half-animal figure, with two horns on his forehead, a velvet-like torso and goat-like lower limbs with strong, sinewy legs and cloven hooves.

In this remarkable way, Pan greets visitors at La Pedrera, playing his syrinx amidst spectacular, luxurious architectural garden settings that depict the love story of Vertumnus and Pomona.

What better way to begin working, visiting or enjoying activities than surrounded by gods, goddesses, nymphs and a garden of flowers?

The technique used to create these works involved reproducing black-and-white photographs of engravings based on the Royal Heritage Collection tapestries owned by Clapés, using “soft colours”. The diaprat technique, often associated with heraldry, involves decorating objects with vibrant colours applied in a foliage-like style. While visually striking, it demands immense discipline and dedication.

Clapés used his own gridded cartons, transferring them fragment by fragment to the walls. Each scene was painted in oil, with assistance from emerging painters Iu Pascual, Xavier Nogués and Teresa Lostau, who were budding talents at the time.