Santiago Rusinyol

Santiago Rusinyol, or Rusiñol (1861–1931) was an amiable morphine addict now better known for his amusing writings than his pretty, decorative landscapes and genre scenes. Born into a family of wealthy textile magnates, he developed a keen interest in watercolours as a teenager, joining the Centre d'aquarelistes de Barcelona.

He rented an apartment at the Moulin de la Galette in Paris with his friend Ramon Casas, where he developed the charming, ironic, bohemian persona. While briefly painting in the tonal style of Casas, he was more inspired by the French Symbolists and Puvis de Chavannes. He would later join with Casas to open Els Quatre Gats.

In 1891 Rusinyol fell in love with Sitges and bought up a pair of adjacent houses overlooking the sea. He made them into his special refuge, filling them with his collections of Catalan arts and crafts, but most of all with the Catalan wrought iron he adored, the keys, locks, andirons, daggers, candle holders and knockers, which inspired the name of his home, Cau Ferrat the 'Den of Iron'(now a museum).