The History of Masriera Jewelry

Masriera Dangle Earrings Pearls & Diamonds. Photo ©2019 EraGem Jewelry.   Established in 1839, the Masriera jewelry firm has endured for nearly 200 years. Their story begins with two brothers trained in silversmithing, Josep and Francesc Masriera.  

Josep & Francesc Masriera

In 1839, Josep Masriera i Vidal, along with his brother Francesc, completed his apprenticeship as a silversmith. Together, they opened their own workshop in Barcelona. The following year, the brothers began selling wholesale jewelry. Subsequently, over the next six decades, the Masriera family built a solid reputation for their jewelry. Josep and his wife, Eulàlia Manovens i Roldós, had five children. All of their children helped out in the workshop. For six decades, the brothers produced award-winning jewels which danced on the edge between traditional and modern. They expanded their techniques to include goldmsithing and enameling.  

Exhibitions in Barcelona

Josep and Francesc prided themselves in their civic duty. Each took on different roles within the arts community in Barcelona. Most importantly, they routinely participated in the numerous exhibitions of industry and trade held in their vicinity. They started out exhibiting at the Catalan Arts & Industry Exhibition in 1860. In 1868, their jewelry won awards at the Aragonese Exhibition in Saragossa. In 1871, Josep served on the organizing committee for the General Catalan Exhibition. Both their jewelry and their goldsmithery pieces won awards for good taste. Furthermore, the firm received the seal of The Economic Society of Friends of the Country. Not surprisingly, over the next twenty years, their jewelry continued to win awards for excellence in design and craftsmanship. In 1872, Josep and his sons opened a new shop on the busiest street in Barcelona, Carrer Ferran VIII. That same year, Josep became a father again, this time to Lluis, who would revolutionize the business in the early 1900s.  

A New Workshop

In 1884, Josep and Francesc hired the architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas to create an astounding workshop for them on Bailen Street. Modeled after the Temple of Augustus (Mount Tabor), it eventually became a cultural center for the arts in Barcelona. Standing guard at the entrance are two statues created by Josep Reynés. The statues feature the likenesses of two of Spain's celebrated painters, Eduardo Rosales Gallinas and Maria Fortuny. In addition to hosting the creation of masterpieces in gold and silver, the workshop on Bailen also welcomed painters and sculptors. It also housed the brothers' ever-growing art collection. Furthermore, it featured a small stage for theatrical performances. Upon Josep's death in 1912, his son Lluis inherited The Workshop. In 1921, Lluis established an amateur theater company called Belluguet. A masterful scenographer, Lluis painted backdrops for the company's many performances. Over a short period of time, The Workshop transformed into a multicultural gathering space for artists of all sorts. Literary meetings and readings took place there, as well as concerts and poetry performances.  

Studium Theater

In 1932, Lluis and his son Joan transformed The Workshop into the Studium Theater. Throughout the following years, up until the Spanish Civil War, the theater maintained a continuous program of performing arts. The Belluguet Company performed the majority of the shows, including pieces written by Lluis. Other companies performed there, as well. In addition, the theater hosted amateur film sessions, as well as dramatic competitions and drama classes. During the Civil War, the building was confiscated by the Generalitat. At the end of the war, the Club Helena took occupancy until 1950. In 1951, another heir assumed ownership of the theater, possibly a member of the Carreras family who may have purchased the property from Lluis. This heir moved into the theater and set it up as a residence for other members of the religious community called the Small Company of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. The theater remained a private cloister for the nuns until the 1990s. At that time, the nuns opened their doors to the community. They hosted recreational programs for those in the neighborhood, as well as outreach programs. Alas, in 2009, the theater was closed permanently. Though advocates of historical preservation have lobbied for protection, the building remains closed with no plans for restoration or renovation.  

Into Twentieth Century

Meanwhile, throughout the late 1800s, the Masriera brothers continued to win awards for their jewelry. They also continued participating in the expansion of the arts and the shopping districts of Barcelona. At the age of 18, Josep's son Lluis traveled to Paris to study jewelry design. While at the Paris Universal Exposition, Lluis caught his first glimpses of the New Art (Art Nouveau). Inspired by the works of Rene Lalique, he carried this new style home with him. In 1900, Lluis and his brother Josep took over the family business. For the next six months, Lluis melted down the firm's entire inventory in order to create new designs in the Modernisme (Barcelona's Art Nouveau) style. For the next 100+ years, Masriera became synonymous with Art Nouveau. The Masrieras continued to win awards and further expand the arts in Barcelona. In 1969, the Bagues firm acquired 50% of the Masriera jewelry business. In 1985, they acquired the remaining interest in the business. To this day, they operate the firm as a dual-brand, Bagues-Masriera. Each branch retains its unique style, with Masriera continuing to produce enameled works in the Art Nouveau style. As they say on their website, the two brands work side by side to continue a "long tradition of prestige, creativity and rigour." ~Angela Magnotti Andrews