The Design Museum receives the donation of Ricard Giralt Miracle’s library
The Barcelona Design Museum has received the donation of Ricard Giralt Miracle’s (1911-1994) library. From now on, the museum’s Documentation Center will feature the library of this graphic designer, typographer and printer; considered one of the greatest graphic designers of our country in the second half of the twentieth century. The library, donated to the museum by his children, consists of about 600 documents, including books and magazines published between the 20s and 90s of the last century. Most notable are specialized magazines such as Gebrauchsgraphik, the Bulletin officiel de la Union Syndicale des Maîtres Imprimeurs, copies of Commercial Art of the 20's and the Arts et Métiers Graphiques, the Inland Printer, graphic and ornamental art manuals and typographical catalogs.
Ricard Giralt Miracle gave impetus to the profession of graphic designer and typographer, exemplifying the transition between cartoonists and graphic artists. With a clear vocation for graphic research and experimentation, he also collaborated with artists like Joan Miró and Antoni Tàpies.
He created his first works for the magazine Seix Barral during the thirties, and ended up founding his own workshop: Filograf RGM, Instituto de Arte Gráfico (1947), where he made brands, posters, books and catalogs, etc. He was also creator of alphabets such as Gaudí, Xenius, Pompeia, etc. One of his most outstanding works, for its uniqueness and personal feel, were the "platelets", which he spread among its clients and friends to send his best wishes for Christmas or summer vacation.
His work has been recognized nationally and internationally. His works have been published in magazines such as Gebrauchsgraphik, Graphis, Modern Publicity, etc., and he received, among others, the Delta de Oro Award (1962), the Graphic Design Excellence Award from ICOGRADA (1989), the Gold Medal of the FAD (1980), the Ciutat de Barcelona Award (1982), the Cross of Sant Jordi from the Generalitat of Catalonia (1986), the National Design Award (1991) and the National Prize for Fine Art (1992).
The Barcelona Design Museum has a special interest in incorporating this library, a dedication to one of the most prominent professionals of the sector, for its validity and usefulness. It helps us understand his career and brings supplementary information to his work.
The Museum Documentation Center is carrying out the recovery, collection, processing and dissemination of the documentary heritage linked to its collections and the history of design in our country. With this objective in mind, it gathers books and archives from professionals, companies and institutions that have made a mark during their career. The museum already has in its possession libraries of institutions such as the BCD Barcelona Design Center, the Colegio de Publicitarios y Relaciones públicas de Catalunya and la Biblioteca de Urbanismo del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona; and designers such as André Ricard, Juli Capella and Yves Zimmermann.