Chapter 9: Spain: Hispano-Moorish to Neoclassical

 Chapter 9: Spain: Hispano-Moorish to Neoclassical

This time in history combines Christian Spain with Moorish Art Termed Mudejar and influences of Medieval and the Italian Renaissance. The 16th century was the most brilliant era in Spanish history. The architecture reflected common features from other countries and exterior plans with numerous courtyards, gardens, fountains, and reflecting pools. Spain is known for having more castles than any other European country. The Spanish Renaissance is also attributed with the Plateresco Phase (Silversmith’s style - platero) which used gothic or renaissance in construction style. It crafted minute and delicate ornaments on exteriors, patios, churches, public buildings, and even furniture, resembling the work of a silversmith. The Desornamentado Phase (unornamented) was a powerful style characterized by austerity and carefully defined proportions in this time. It applied to courts, ecclesiastical, and public buildings. The Spanish Renaissance also used Herrera Architecture and the Baroque Style (churrigueresco). 

My favorite applications from the Spanish Renaissance historical time period are the Alhambra, La Mota Castle, the Cathedral of Seville, and El Escorial.

The Alhambra, in Granada, Spain, is a complex palace and one of the most famous preserved monuments of Islamic Architecture . It is known as a piece from the Spanish Renaissance in the detailed craftsmanship throughout the different areas of the palace, such as the Court of Lions and the courtyard.

La Mota Castle is a famous piece of architecture from the Spanish Renaissance. This castle from the 15th century was built by noble Christian families who used concrete walls faced with brick to create the structure. 

The cathedral of Seville is another famous masterpiece from the Spanish Renaissance, located in Seville- Andalusia, Spain. After being the largest cathedrals in the 15th century, it is now one of the largest cathedrals in the world, holding 80 chapels and 500 masses daily. It was designed in a gothic style and demonstrated the city’s wealth with all of the different designs and detailing, such as rejas (decorative iron grilles). The interior has vaulted ceilings resembling domes from the Renaissance. 

The Escorial was completed in the 16th century by Juan de Herrera, as an imitation of the Temple of Solomon, in northwest Spain (Madrid). It featured great archetypes of architectural history and included a palace, outside courtyard, Library of the monastery, and a religious house. This highly “moral” building is a massive structure, yet known for its simplicity, sobriety, and plainness. 

The interior design from the Spanish Renaissance used styles such as El Transparente (grille work), and Vargueno (a type of distinct cabinetwork, made with iron-mounted walnut with geometric patterns).

The artistic features usually appearedon windows, opening, handrails, doors, ceilings, with tiles, pine-panels, paintings, borders and frames. The tile pictures resembled wall tapestries with materials like tile, stone, brick, and wood. They used other materials like leather (cordoba leather), for furniture and decorations. They designed with more subdued colors, but also sometimes brightly colored oil paintings, gold framework. 

Cabinets and other wood pieces of furniture were designed with inlay work, carvings, painting and gilding. Inlay work was one of Spain’s finest artistic achievements. Spanish furniture was usually made with minute pieces of bone, ivory, exotic woods, mother of pearl, metal work in geometric and floral designs. This tended to emphasize the simplicity and boldness with heavy proportions, crude carbing, and repetitive use of tiles to create patterns. They were then detailed with fringes, braids, cords, tassels, decorative nailheads, and silver ornamentation. Common pieces of furniture from the Spanish Renaissance are chairs like the Sillon de Frailero, wooden benches (walnut) with hinged backs, Walnut Vargueno Puente Stand, the Taquillion, Walnut Papelera, Spanish Tables and Spanish style Beds. 

My Favorite Current Applications of the Spanish Renaissance in Modern Day Architecture:

Residential Homes resembling Spanish Renaissance architecture 

City of Arts and Science (1998) in Valencia, Spain by Santiago Calatrava

The Flagler University 

One Step Further:

One architect that really caught attention and interest from this chapter is Juan de Herrera. As one of the most outstanding Spanish architects of the 16th century, Herrera represents the peak of the Renaissance in Spain. This architect, mathematician, and geometrician, designed the Escorial, as well as many other famous Spanish buildings, such as the Palacio Real de Aranjuez, Casa Consistorial de Toledo, the Palace of El Quexigal, and more! Herrera Architecture was derived from this architect to honor his ability to create classic forms, plain surfaces, and sparse decorations into a unified composition. His design style is very identifiable and influential for the time period.

Extra Links: El Greco - a famous artist/painter from the Spanish Renaissance

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf55cIeNQDs