Anita Gispert Vila was Catalonia’s first registered woman documentary photographer. Between 1911 and 1930, she worked as the official photographer of Caldes de Montbui, capturing a society in transformation.
While portraiture dominated the era, Anita documented everyday life, festivities, construction sites and crime scenes with striking vision. She experimented with multiple exposures and hand-colouring, positioning herself at the forefront of early 20th-century photographic practice.
Yet much of her work was nearly lost to history. Signing as “A. Gispert,” her identity as a woman often went unrecognised. This project reclaims her authorship and restores her place in visual heritage.
Yet much of her work was nearly lost to history. Signing as “A. Gispert,” her identity as a woman often went unrecognised. This project reclaims her authorship and restores her place in visual heritage.
Anita Gispert: The Photographer of Caldes
Exhibition
THERMALIA History Museum, Caldes de Montbui, Spain
The exhibition brings Anita’s archive into dialogue with the present. Through immersive and interactive formats, visitors encounter a vivid portrait of early 20th-century life while reflecting on the role of family memory and overlooked women in history.
A Collective Gesture
The Living Room Replica
Participatory Installation | Open Call
At the heart of the exhibition, a participatory chapter reconnects the town with its own archive. Through an open call, residents uncovered more than 40 unpublished portraits taken by Anita. These photographs are displayed inside a reconstructed 1920s living room — returning private memory to shared space.
The Photo Booth
An interactive photo booth completes the experience.With period costumes and a life-sized replica of the photographer, guests create their own portraits — a contemporary gesture that connects past and present through participation.
Itinerary Anita Gispert
Public Space Route
By scanning QR codes placed at key locations, historic photographs from the 1920s appear directly on site, allowing passersby to encounter the town as Anita once captured it. A permanent open-air route where past and present meet.
Location points
- - Location points:
- Torre de la Presó (inici del carrer Bellit)
- Carrer de Font i Boet
- Avinguda de Pi i Margall
- Carrer Major (davant de Cal Maurici)
- Carrer Roma (inici)
- Plaça de la Font del Lleó
- Carrer d’Escanyacans
- Carrer de Santa Susanna
- Carrer de Vic
- Carrer del Forn
- Corredossos de Dalt
- Carrer d’Ascensi Vega
- Carrer Ruldo amb Can Corró Vell
Museu Thermalia
THERMALIA History Museum is located in the historic thermal baths of Caldes de Montbui, Catalonia.
Dedicated to the town’s thermal water heritage and local history, the museum connects archaeology, industry and everyday life — preserving and activating the cultural memory of one of Europe’s oldest thermal towns.
Colophon
Coordination
Anna Monleón i Esterli
Curator
Mar Gimeno Lumbiarres
Language Editing
Marc Barrobés Meix
Restoration and Conservation of the Municipal Archive Photographs
Esther Llorca
Cristina Lanau
Graphic Design
AT Comunicació
Printing and Installation
Impacte Gran Format
THERMALIA Museum Team
Oriol Castillo Castells
Francesca M. Lliteres
Carolina Redondo Pasqual
Jordi Montsalvatge Serra
Acknowledgements
Arxiu Municipal de Caldes de Montbui
Antoni Barceló Descamps
Joaquim Campistron
M. Teresa Pujol Berenguer
Família Torras Costa
Sisqueta Torras Aymerich
Família Codina
Fundació Casino de Caldes
Special thanks to
Carlos Lumbiarres Féraud
Elisabet Lumbiarres Féraud
Grandchildren
Xavier Lumbiarres Féraud
Anna Lumbiarres Féraud
Great-grandchildren
Marta Lumbiarres Arguedas
Manuel Lumbiarres Arguedas
Bruno Anaya Lumbiarres
Raúl Pérez Lumbiarres
Mar Gimeno Lumbiarres
And to the people of Caldes —
especially the Campàs-Poch family (Lali, Queralt and Jaume) and Ferran Devesa Coll.
© 2024 Museu Thermalia, Ajuntament de Caldes de Montbui.
All rights reserved.