The first female draftswoman in Spain, protagonist at the Palau Robert in Barcelona

Who and what was Leonor Ferrer like? The exhibition in room 4 of the Palau Robert in Barcelona reviews the career of the woman who was the first woman in Spain to obtain the title of draftswoman in 1905, in a professional field that was very masculinized at that time. The exhibition Leonor Ferrer. A life between the lines can be visited for free until February 2.

Curated by Noelia Ramos, from the Cartographic and Geological Institute of Catalonia, the exhibition is a joint initiative of the General Directorate of Diffusion of the Generalitat and the Institute, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the birth of this pioneer.

The exhibition proposes a re-reading and deepening of her life and professional career, reviewing between the lines her correspondence and bringing to the present the small silent revolutions she carried out in her time. For more than three decades, Leonor Ferrer worked as head of drafting in several telephone companies, where she came to lead a team made up of men and women.

In addition to dedicating herself to campaigns for the removal of power lines, she was passionate about cartography and amassed a good collection of maps. Her documentary collection is preserved at the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya.

Cartographer and activist

To value Leonor Ferrer's legacy as a cartographer and activist in the professionalization of women, the Generalitat agreed to commemorate the 150th anniversary of her birth in 2024. The celebration has been preceded by an exhaustive research process.

In 2009, relatives of the draftswoman visited the Cartoteca de Catalunya to explore the value of her collection of city maps. Although the collection was limited, the maps were in excellent condition and reflected Ferrer's interest in creating her own cartoteca. Finally, the family deposited with the ICGC not only the maps, but all of Ferrer's personal and professional archive.

In addition to the anniversary commemoration, the Barcelona City Council has also approved that a street in Poble-sec, the neighborhood where Leonor Ferrer was born, will bear her name.

Round table Ciutat de dones

In this regard, the Palau Robert hosts on January 22 the round table Ciutat de Dones on the presence of women's names in cities and in public spaces. This in Catalonia only occurs in 4% of streets. The talk features Roser Salicrú, who will speak about the campaign S'ho mereixen launched by Sàpiens magazine; Jaume Muñoz Jofre, who will explain how the Nomenclátor Committee of the city of Barcelona wants to reverse this situation, and Clara Cirera, who will present how the physical and social characteristics of cities affect women's experiences in public spaces.

Guided itineraries in Poble-sec

In parallel, guided itineraries will also be carried out through Poble-sec to explain the neighborhood and historical context of Leonor Ferrer's life, born on Concòrdia street in this Barcelona neighborhood. The two-hour outings will be on November 20 and 23 and next January 18.

More information on the website anyleonorferrer.gencat.cat.