Art History of Spain In the history of Western Art, Spain occupies a very significant and distinct position; after the French and the Italians, the Spanish are probably the most important contributors to the development and evolution of art in the Western Hemisphere. Over the centuries, numerous Spanish artists have contributed heavily to the development of European art in almost all the “major” fields like painting, sculpture and architecture. While Spanish art has had deep linkages with its French and Italian counterparts, Spain’s unique geographic location has allowed it to evolve its own distinct characteristics that set it quite apart from other European artistic traditions. Spain’s fascinating history of conquest and trade is inextricably linked to the evolution of its art. Cave Paintings of Altamira, Spain The earliest inhabitants of what is now modern-day Spain were known for their rich art traditions, especially with respect to cave-paintings from the Stone Age. The Iberian Mediterranean Basin in the regions of Aragon and Castile-La Mancha in eastern Spain, and the world famous Altamira Cave paintings in Cantabria are both UNESCO World Heritage sites that showcase vivid cave paintings from the Stone Age. Pre-Romanesque Period Over the course of history, Spain has been deeply influenced by the culture art of its neighbors, who were more often than not its conquerors. The Roman control over Hispania, from 2nd century BC to 5th century AD, had a deep influence on Spain, especially in its architecture dating from that period. The Aqueduct of Segovia, Alcantara Bridge and the Tower of Hercules Lighthouse are some of the important monuments from that period that still survive to-date. This early Roman art tradition came at a time which later came to be known as the Pre-Romanesque period in European art and culture. The Goths who ruled Spain immediately after the collapse of the Roman Empire also left their mark on Hispanic culture and arts. But their relatively brief rule over Spain was terminated by the arrival of perhaps the most significant contributors to the uniqueness of Spanish arts and culture: the Muslim invaders from across the sea. The Arab and Berber conquest of Spain created a Muslim rule over Spain which lasted for over 300 years. As this coincided with the beginning of the Golden Age of Islamic Art (from 750 to 16th century AD), it left a lasting impact on Spanish culture, especially in architecture. Moorish Architecture During the Muslim rule in what was largely Christian majority Spain, local artists and craftsmen started incorporated elements of Muslim art into their local traditions. This came to be known as the Moorish art. The world renowned Alhambra Palace Fortress in Granada and the Mezquita in Cordoba are some of the finest examples of what is called Moorish architecture dating from this period. This style incorporated a lot of domes, arches (especially the horseshoe arch), courtyards and highly decorative tile works. Alhambra Palace Fortress “Going to a Mosque to hear Mass?” While this might seem a bit strange to the average Christian, going to church in a mosque would actually be quite normal for devout Christians in many parts of Spain. When the Muslim rule ended with the “Reconquista” or the Christian re-conquest in the early Middle-Ages, many of the mosques that had been built were conveniently converted into churches and cathedrals. The “Mezquita” in Cordoba is a Christian cathedral now, but the very name means “mosque” in Spanish. The Renaissance Era and French and Italian Influence Spanish culture grew closer to the developments in mainstream European art and culture during the medieval era. This was the period when Romanesque and Gothic architecture and sculptures started flourishing in Spain, imported from her French and Italian neighbors. The Renaissance also saw the rise of great individual artists of repute from Spain. Romanesque and Gothic Art Romanesque was basically an evolution of the early Roman architectural style that retained many of its vital features, like round-headed arches, barrel vaults and apses. In countries like Spain, Italy and Southern France, it maintained strong connections with its Roman roots. The Gothic style evolved from the Romanesque in the 12th century AD. Both traditions had strong ties with Christianity and the church and with Spain having been brought back under Christian rule; both these styles came to be incorporated into the construction of churches, monasteries and shrines in during this period. The Masters of Taull and Pedret were two very important Romanesque mural and fresco painters of this era. Nothing much is known about them, except that they were both Catalonians, natives of northern Spain. The rise of Spanish Masters: from el Greco to Picasso One Spain’s greatest contribution to the arts has been in the field of painting. Any mention of Spanish art readily brings to mind such legendary names like Picasso, Dali and Miro from the modern era. The origins to this development of Spanish painting began in the medieval era, when Spanish artists were influenced by other European styles like the Classical Dutch, Italian Renaissance and the Mannerist and the later Baroque styles. Since Catholicism was very strong in Medieval Spain, the themes of most paintings (from 16th to 18th century) were largely religious and spiritual. With the declining power of the Church, kings and royal families became the major patrons of art. Paintings of nobles, landscapes, historical and mythical events started becoming more and more common along with religious themes into the late 18th and early 19th centuries. El Greco (1541-1614): was a highly individualistic painter of his era, showing a distinct personal style with Byzantine and Venetian influences, which were quite unique in Spain at that time. He was also an accomplished sculptor and architect. As his name suggests, el Greco (the Greek) was born in Crete and later migrated to Toledo in Spain, where he stayed till his death. El Greco - Self Portrait Goya (1746-1828): a leading Romantic painter who was considered as one of the “first of the moderns”, he was a court painter to the Spanish royal family. He is considered to be an inspiration for the later masters including Picasso. He was also known for his paintings on war and society in general which are considered to be quite political and revolutionary in nature. Goya - Self Portrait The Milkmaid of Bordeaux by Goya “The fate of the Spanish nudes of 17th century” When the Spanish Inquisition began in full swing, depiction of nude women on paintings were strictly prohibited and actively hunted done by the Inquisitors in Spain. Goya’s famous work, The Nude Maja, was confiscated because of its “obscene” contents. Only one of Velazquez’s female nude portraits have survived into the present day, called the Rokeby Venus or Venus with Her Mirror, it now hangs in the National Gallery in London. The Nude Maja by Goya The 18th and 19th centuries saw increased influence of external styles on Spanish painting. Spanish art declined in this period due to the arrival of the French Bourbon rulers. With a lot of Spanish painters getting trained in foreign capitals like Paris and Rome, new styles like Neo-Classicism, Impressionalism, Realism and Romanticism became key strands of the Spanish art movement in this era. Rokeby Venus by Velazquez The Modern Day Masters of Spanish Art The 20th century is when Spanish painting truly came of age. While earlier times saw French and Italian artists influencing their Spanish peers, in the modern era, Masters like Picasso, Miro and Dali became pioneers of their craft in their own distinct styles. While they were all born in Spain, these artists along with many more of their compatriots spend defining parts of their life in Paris. Without a doubt, these three men are the leading lights Spanish art into the modern era. They all had their own distinctive styles which soon developed into important schools of modern art. Salvador Dali and his Surrealism One of the modern proponents of the surrealist movement, he was best known for his striking and bizarre images in his paintings. A flamboyant and eccentric personality, Dali’s actions in public were often as striking as his experiments with paint on canvas. He was born in 1904 in Figueres, Catalonia and after being briefly under the spell of Cubism during his early years in Madrid in 1920s, Dali joined the Surrealist movement that was developing in Paris around the same time. A close friend of other gifted Spanish artists like the poet Lorca and the film director Luis Bunuel, Dali also tried his hands at film, sculpture and photography, but his most significant contribution is in establishing a visual style for the Surrealist movement. From 1929 onwards, Dali was one of the pioneers of the Surrealist painting style, with classic images like The Persistence of a Memory. Molten forms and liquid shapes were a hallmark of his signature style. The Persistence of a Memory by Salvador Dali “The Surreal Antics of Dali” This eccentric genius’s escapades alone would take several books to document completely. An artist who followed both anarchist and communist ideologies, he was known to make outrageous political statements just to shock listeners. He was heavily criticized during both the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War for not speaking out against the inhuman atrocities that took place at the time. After the war, he courted controversy by being an open supporter and admirer of General Franco, the Spanish dictator. In the 1960s, Dali bizarrely gifted actress Mia Farrow a dead mouse in a hand painted bottle. He stood out with his waxed pointed moustache, cape and pet ocelot.