Spanish Baroque Art: History, Characteristics, and Artists
SPANISH BAROQUE ART OF THE 17TH CENTURY: ARTS, CULTURE, AND SOCIETY. Historical Context
The 17th century in Spain coincided with a period of depression. The most notorious manifestation was a demographic crisis caused by the confluence of three waves of lethal plague, the unfortunate expulsion of the Moors, economic difficulties, and constant wars. This crisis was both a cause and a consequence of a sharp economic recession. Overcoming such a difficult situation would have required successful political action in a generally peaceful environment. Under the Habsburgs, the Spanish monarchy underwent a profound change compared to the previous century: “Delegated government functions were no longer in valid hands.” Spain was involved in armed conflicts and had been relegated to the background in the international arena. The steady state of war demanded economic and fiscal efforts that further aggravated the difficulties of society and the real estate. Comparing the 16th and 17th centuries, it is striking how the monarchy’s Hispanic splendor, which once spanned a vast territorial empire, declined into a situation of decay and ruin. On a cultural level, the high level reached in the previous century was maintained. The exacerbated difficulties that occurred in Spain during the 17th century, especially in the fields of literature and painting, are undeniable.
General Features of Spanish Baroque
It was a propagandistic art that served the monarchy and the church, aimed at the masses, and used a cumbersome and easily understood language. Spanish art had some peculiarities arising from the circumstances that the monarchy faced: “The economic crisis affected the absence of major architectural projects or urban developments.” The church’s leadership was reflected in the absolute predominance of religious themes in painting and sculpture, treated with heightened realism to encourage popular devotion.
Artists and Clients
In the 17th century, art customers continued to be the traditional ones: the Crown, nobility, and clergy. The religious orders experienced growth. The lack of noble or royal patronage was partly offset by new religious foundations. Artists were still subject to a rigid guild system. Their economic status was generally modest, and they received little social recognition, similar to any craftsman.
PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE. General Characteristics
The economic difficulties and the crown’s ruin explain the 17th-century Spanish architecture: “No urbanistic programs of importance were developed, nor were large buildings erected.” One of the few exceptions was the Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid, built by Philip IV for his favorite sweet olive groves Count. Architectural activity frequently consisted of extending or improving preexisting works. It was not uncommon to employ poor materials, hiding their appearance with paintings and other decorative elements, as in the case of encamonadas domes, hexas of lightweight materials, and low cost. The evolution was the inverse of the previous Renaissance architecture: If the latter started from a decorative excess to a continuous purification process of austerity, the Baroque architecture of the Escurialense sobriety was becoming more ornamental gradually up to the late decorative explosion.
First Half of the Century: The Austerity of the Early Baroque
The influence of a work inevitably extended over time. The architecture of the first half of the seventeenth century was a real break with the last third of the previous century, and the first Spanish baroque was characterized by sober lines, flat walls, and austere decoration.
Second Half of the Century: Towards the Decorative Profession
In the second half of the century, the simple and austere structure of the Escurialense was abandoned in favor of decorative elements and curvilinear forms.