Mosaic Masterpiece, Barcelona, Spain. While Antonio Gaudì's works often incorporate elaborate and imaginative mosaics, the actual creator of many of the most spectacular examples is a bit of an unsung hero, Gaudì's collaborator, Josep Maria Jujol (1879-1949).

Jujol, Like Gaudì, was an architect, and was allowed creative freedom to devise the colorful and inventive Park Guell mosaics.

While Gaudì had often recycled used tiles in decorating his buildings, Jujol had some tiles specially fabricated for the project, even going so far as to make some himself. Additionally, he incorporated into the designs a host of unconventional materials including broken bottle glass, plates from his family dinnerware, and even pieces of a china doll.

At this time, this collage approach to mosaic was quite original, and modern artists who visited Park Guell, like Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso, were likely influenced by Jujol's work.

The bit pictured here is part of a long, winding bench that overlooks the main entrance to the park.

More about these striking mosaics here.