This is a list of notable people from Catalonia.
Artists
Ferrer Bassa (1285–1348), Catalan Gothic master and miniaturist Arnau Bassa (????–1348), altarpiece master and son of the previous Jacint Rigau i Ros (1659–1743), portrait artist Josep Tapiró i Baró (1836–1913), watercolour painter and fundamental member of Orientalism Marià Fortuny i Marsal (1838–1874), painter Josep Masriera (1841–1912), painter, goldsmith, and businessman Étienne Terrus (1857–1922), painter considered one of the precursors of fauvisme Eliseu Meifrèn (1857–1940), impressionist painter Aristide Maillol (1861–1944), sculptor and painter Santiago Rusiñol (1861–1931), painter, poet and playwright Ramon Casas i Carbó (1866–1932), artist and painter Ramon Pichot (1871–1925), painter Joaquin Mir Trinxet (1873–1940), painter Josefa Texidor i Torres (1875–1914), painter Juli González i Pellicer (1876–1942), sculptor and painter Josep Clarà (1878–1958), sculptor Pau Gargallo i Catalán (1881–1934), sculptor and painter Adelaida Ferré Gomis (1881–1955), lace-maker, folklorist, and teacher Joan Miró (1893–1983), surrealist artist Lola Anglada (1893–1984), illustrator and writer Charlie Rivel (1896–1983), clown Àngel Planells (1901–1989), surrealist painter
Salvador Dalí (1904–1989), surrealist artist Marti Montserrat Guillemat (1906–1990), musician Ceferí Olivé i Cabré (1907–1995), painter Remedios Varo (1908–1963), surrealist painter Angeles Santos Torroella (1911–2013), surrealist painter Antoni Clavé (1913–2005), painter, printmaker, sculptor, stage designer and costume designer Joan-Josep Tharrats (1918–2001), abstract artist and member of Joan Brossa (1919–1998), poet, playwright, graphic designer and visual artist Joan Colom (1921–2017), photographer Manuel Carnicer i Fajó (1922–1998), hyperrealist colour pencil artist Albert Ràfols-Casamada (1923–2009), artist Antoni Tàpies (1923–2012), surrealist painter and member of Xavier Valls (1923–2006), painter Modest Cuixart (1925–2001), painter and member of Marcel Martí (1925–2010), sculptor Joan Ponç (1927–1984), painter and member of Josep Guinovart (1927–2007), abstract expressionist painter Josep Maria Subirachs (1927–2014), sculptor and painter Josep Ponsatí (born 1947), sculptor Jordi Bonet (1932–1979), painter, ceramist, muralist and sculptor Antoni Pitxot (1934–2015), surrealist painter Silvia Torras (1936–1970), informalist painter Xavier Miserachs (1937–1998), photographer Vicenç Caraltó (1939–1995), painter, draftsman and engraver Fina Rifà (born 1939), illustrator Isabel Steva i Hernández, "Colita" (born 1940), photographer Josep Royo (born 1945), contemporary artist Glòria Muñoz (born 1949), painter Anna Manel·la (1950–2019), sculptor Jaume Plensa (born 1955), sculptor Pep Duran (born 1955], sculptor Pere Jaume Borrell i Guinart, "Perejaume" (born 1957), contemporary artist Enric Bug (born 1957), comic book artist and industrial designer Carlos Grangel (born 1963), character designer Neil Harbisson (born 1982), artist, founder of the Cyborg Foundation Moon Ribas (born 1985), choreographer, dancer, cyborg activist, founder of the Cyborg Foundation Laura Vila Kremer (born 1985), performance artist and intersex rights activist
Architects and Urban Planners
Ildefons Cerdà i Sunyer (1815–1876), urban planner who designed the 19th-century "extension" of Barcelona called the Eixample Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1850–1923), modernist architect and politician, designed the Palau de la Música Catalana Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), modernist architect, designed the Catholic church of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona Josep Puig i Cadafalch (1867–1956), architect, designed the urban gothic palace Casa Amatller Cebrià de Montoliu i de Togores (1873–1923), town planner, architect, and social reformer Josep Maria Jujol i Gibert (1879–1949), architect and designer; worked with Antoni Gaudí on many of his most famous works Isidre Puig i Boada (1891–1987), architect Carles Buïgas i Sans (1898–1979), architect, engineer, inventor and author; designed the Magic Fountain in Montjuïc, Barcelona Josep Lluís Sert i López (1902–1983), architect, co-founder of the GATCPAC group, professor at Harvard
Josep Antoni Coderch (1913–1984), architect recognized as one of the most important post-World War II European architects Antoni Bonet i Castellana (1913–1989), architect and urban planner Alfons Milà i Sagnier (1924–2009), architect Frederic de Correa i Ruiz (1924–2020), architect Oriol Bohigas i Guardiola (1925–2021), architect and urban planner Lluís Nadal i Oller (born 1929), architect Josep Emili Donato i Folch (born 1934), architect Lluís Cantallops Valeri (born 1934), architect Joan Margarit (1938–2021), architect Ricardo Bofill i Leví (1939–2022), architect Carme Pigem Barceló (born 1962), architect and member of the Pritzker Prize-winning architectural firm RCR Arquitectes Xavier Vilalta (born 1980), architect
Businesspeople Facundo Bacardí (1814–1886), founder of Bacardi rum Joseph Oller (1839–1922), founder of Moulin Rouge cabaret Andrés Brugal Montaner (1850–1914), founder of Brugal & Co. rum Enric Bernat (1923–2003), founder of Chupa Chups candy Eusebi Güell (1846–1918), industrial entrepreneur and patronage John Casablancas (1942–2013), founder of Elite Model Management (American from Catalan parents)
Cinema and Theater
Fructuós Gelabert (1874–1955), inventor, screenwriter, film director Asunción Balaguer (1925–2019), actress Rosa Maria Sardà (1941–2020), actress and comedian Albert Boadella (born 1943), playwright, director, actor, political activist, and founder of Els Joglars Ventura Pons (born 1945), film director Bigas Luna (1946–2013), award-winning filmmaker Vicky Peña (born 1954), actress Assumpta Serna (born 1957), actress Francesc Orella (born 1957), actor Emma Vilarasau (born 1959), actress Isabel Coixet (born 1960), film director Eduard Fernandez (born 1964), actor Jordi Sánchez (born 1964), actor, comedian, well-known thanks to his leading roles in the popular sitcoms, Plats Bruts and La que se Avecina Sergi López (born 1965), actor, César's best actor winner in 2000 Andreu Buenafuente (born 1965), comedian, television host and founder of the television production company, El Terrat Lydia Zimmermann (born 1966), filmmaker Jaume Balagueró (born 1968), film director behind REC zombie horror films Jordi Mollà (born 1968), actor, appeared in the Hollywood blockbusters Colombiana (2012) and Riddick (2013) Ariadna Gil (born 1969), actress Joel Joan (born 1970), actor, comedian, lead actor in the popular sitcom, Plats Bruts, filmmaker, founder of the television production company Kràmpack and former president of the Academy of Catalan Cinema Silvia Abril (born 1971), actress, comedian and television host David Selvas (born 1971), actor
Laia Costa (born 1985), actress Laia Marull (born 1973), actress Jaume Collet-Serra (born 1974), filmmaker known for directing the horror remake House of Wax (2005), The Shallows (2016) and the memorable action-thrillers Unknown (2011), Non-Stop (2014), Run All Night (2015) and The Commuter (2018) Ingrid Rubio (born 1975), actress Daniel Brühl (born 1978), actor, born in Barcelona and raised in Germany Claudia Bassols (born 1979), actress Leticia Dolera (born 1981), actress Quim Gutiérrez (born 1981), actor Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey (born 1986), actress, appeared in the Hollywood blockbusters Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) Carlos Cuevas (born 1995), actor David Solans (born 1996), actor
Economists Andreu Mas-Colell (born 1944), economist Xavier Sala i Martin (born 1962), economist Pol Antràs (born 1975), economist Jordi Galí (born 1961), economist
Writers and poets
Ramon Llull (c. 1232–c. 1315), philosopher, theologist, mystic, missionary, narrator, poet, logician and professor Ramon Muntaner (c. 1270–1336), soldier and writer of the 14th century Joanot Martorell (c. 1410–1465), knight and writer of the 15th century Jaime Balmes (1810–1848), priest, philosopher and political writer Àngel Guimerà, (1845–1924), writer Jacint Verdaguer (1845–1902), poet Narcís Oller (1846–1930), writer Joan Maragall (1860–1911), writer and poet Josep Carner (1884–1970), poet Gaziel (1887–1964), journalist, writer and publisher Carles Riba (1893–1959), poet Josep Vicenç Foix (1893–1987), poet, essayist and writer Josep Pla (1897–1981), writer Joan Oliver i Sallarès (1899–1986), pseudonym Pere Quart, poet, playwright, translator, narrator, and journalist
Mercè Rodoreda (1908–1983), writer, known for novel The Time of the Doves (1962) Miquel Martí i Pol (1929–2003), writer and poet Pere Calders (1912–1994), writer Josep Ferrater i Mora (1912–1991), philosopher, essayist and writer Joan Sales (1912–1983), writer, poet, translator and editor Salvador Espriu (1913–1985), writer and poet Joan Vinyoli (1914–1984), poet Manuel de Pedrolo (1918–1990), writer
Montserrat Abelló i Soler (1918–2014), poet and translator Joan Brossa (1919–1998), poet, playwright, plastic artist and graphic designer Gabriel Ferrater (1922–1972), poet, translator and scholar of linguistics Maria Àngels Anglada (1930–1999), poet and novelist Quima Jaume i Carbo (1934–1993), poet Olga Xirinacs Díaz (born 1936), writer and pianist Lluís Solà i Sala (born 1940), poet, playwright and translator Montserrat Roig (1946–1991), writer, journalist, feminist Quim Monzó, writer Maria Mercè Marçal (1952–1998), poet, writer and translator Sergi Pàmies (born 1960), writer, translator, journalist Joan Carreras i Goicoechea (born 1962), journalist, screenwriter and writer Anna Dodas i Noguer (1962–1986), poet Màrius Serra (born 1963), writer, journalist, translator Albert Sánchez Piñol (born 1968), writer, novelist and author of the international best-seller Victus: Barcelona 1714 Carla Herrero (born 1994), writer, blogger
Military
Abu-l-Hasan Ali ibn Ruburtayr (? – 1187), Muslim Catalan mercenary commander Nunó Sanç I (c. 1185–1241), Catalan nobleman and military leader Berenguer de Palou II (died 1241), bishop of Barcelona and led different crusades Ramon Muntaner (1270–1336), commander and chronicler of the Catalan Company Francesc de Tamarit i de Rifà (1600–1653), military leader during the Battle of Montjuïc (1641) Rafael Casanova i Comes (1660–1743), Coronela leader during the Siege of Barcelona (1713–14) Josep Moragues i Mas (1669–1715), Catalan general during the War of Spanish Succession Manuel d'Amat i de Junyent (1707– 1782), military officer and colonial administrator Gaspar de Portolà (1716–1786), Spanish officer and explorer, first Governor of the Californias Pere Fages i Beleta (1734–1794), Spanish explorer, fifth Governor of the Californias Francisco Milans del Bosch (1769–1834), Spanish general. Llarg de Copons (1800–1839), Carlist warlord Ramón Cabrera y Griñó (1806–1877), Carlist general from Tortosa Joan Prim i Prats (1814 – 30 December 1870), Spanish general and statesman Josep Masgoret i Marcó (1820–1883), Carlist warlord Joseph Joffre (1852–1931), French general, born in Ribesaltes (Roussillon) Domènec Batet (1872–1937), Spanish Army general Ramon Vila Capdevila (1908–1963), anarchist and guerilla fighter Ramon Mercader (1913–1978), soviet spy, murderer of Leon Trotsky Sabaté brothers (fl. 1940s), three Maquis guerrillas of the Francoist post-Civil War period
Musicians and Singers
Guerau de Cabrera (1160–1161), troubadour Jofre de Foixà (died 1300), troubadour, Benedictine and abbot of San Giovanni degli Eremiti in Palermo Ferran Sor (1778–1839), composer Josep Maria Moliné (1819–1883), composer Felip Pedrell (1841–1922), composer, guitarist and musicologist Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909), pianist and composer Enric Morera i Viura (1865–1942), musician and composer Enric Granados (1867–1916), musician