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THE RENAISSANCE IN SPAIN. ARCHITECTURE.

plateresca Facade of the University of Salamanca

THE RENAISSANCE IN SPAIN

Renaissance Model Italian is not clearly identifiable in our country because, among other circumstances, it is impossible to draw a rigid boundary between the late Gothic and what we call the Renaissance. Moreover, in each of the kingdoms that made up the English Monarchy (what we now call Spain, more or less) there were some cultural characteristics extracultural contributing a certain uniqueness to the whole (the influence of Islamic art, development of Mudejar style etc.).

social and political conditioning factors help us understand the English Renaissance:

Hispanic Society in 1500 had a commercial component very weak in most parts of the mainland, only Catalonia and Valencia escaped this weakness, given the economic boom experienced both territories during the Middle Ages. It was not Hispanic, therefore, an increasingly bourgeois society. By contrast, the nobility retained their hands on a huge economic power, but politically cut saw their prerogatives by the monarchical state, with a trend towards the centralization and political absolutism. Is that a state policy that explains the lack of city-states or republics within its territory, as was common in the Italian peninsula and in Germany, on the contrary, restraint imposed to municipalities by the Catholic Monarchs in the late s. XV, and then markedly after the crushing of the revolt of the Comunidades de Castilla (1519-1521), resulted in a cultural and artistic limited initiative on the part of cities. All this explains that the English Renaissance are confined to the dictates of the Court, the Catholic Church and the nobility, which are the institutions and individuals that promote the development of art and, therefore, the role it will play. This is a clear difference from the Renaissance to the rest of Europe, where the bourgeoisie and, overall, civil society drive the development of the arts.
in Spain so it should be stressed special continuity Middle Ages Renaissance, for the survival of forms of power, ownership and medieval mentality in the XV and XVI. This survival that found in the evolution of art forms, given the actual survival of Gothic and Moorish forms (medieval), combined with new forms Italian (Renaissance), whose entry is facilitated by the close relationship of the English Mediterranean ports in Italy during the Middle Ages, and the exchange of materials and artists from various Italian states and territories of the English monarchy.



ARCHITECTURE
The stylistic evolution
introduction of Renaissance forms coincides with the time it occurs Dynastic Union of the Crowns of Castile and Aragon with the marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella, the origin of the political union of Spain. It is time that in addition to start, the rise of power and influence of the English monarchy in Europe. The discovery of America and the conquest of Granada (1492) are contemporaneous with the commencement of works in the College of Santa Cruz de Valladolid, where he first used the Italian decorative motifs. The extraordinary boom in the late Gothic was on the peninsula (which works well for its richness of this powerful monarchy, with such a strong component of Flemish-Burgundian) Mudejar tradition (getting in the civil architecture buildings useful, comfortable and cheap to traditional materials of brick, wood and plaster) and the technical inertia of the architects and builders, accustomed to the stone carving of the Gothic fashion , represent a considerable obstacle to the full acceptance of the Renaissance forms and systems.
The first thing to be known in Spain will be the decorative repertoire, the work of "candelieri" and "grotesque", "trophies", etc. that spread easily through the recorded and can be applied to structurally Gothic buildings. The fashion for things Italian starts early, but limited to external decorative features, aided also by the ability to import spare parts from Italy decorated (door jambs, fireplaces, column shafts and capitals, altars, tombs, etc.), which gradually are being incorporated to taste the powerful. It will therefore be the first architecture of the arts to be affected by the new renaissance.

The
Plateresco
The first third of XVI century fills the style called "Plateresco" (a term coined by Ortiz de Zuniga in the seventeenth century, often comparing the rich and the decoration of this period with the work of goldsmiths and silversmiths). In these early days merely decorative predominate on the constructive, but will gradually giving way for new architectural structures.
traits that identify the style, still heavily influenced by medieval approaches are:
• It is common for external walls are padded walls.
· It employs abalaustrado column, which soon becomes widespread, topped with Corinthian capitals, compound decorating is fantastic. The shaft of this column consists of an upper terminated in a bulbous base and covered with leaves, which by their resemblance to the flower of the pomegranate is called balusters.
· We used covered with richly decorated pillars of "grotesque" (Animal figures finished plant forms).
· It uses the arch, although they often proceed to basket arch in Gothic style.
• In the spandrels of the arches and friezes are often used medallions with classic or fancy heads. In these places can be placed heraldic emblems.
• In regard to the coverage, continuing to use the vaults, but the ships are decorated with classic rosettes, rosettes or medallions. We can also find coffered barrel vaults.
· The buildings are finished, often with equal crests and chandeliers, Italian motifs, the silhouettes ruffled and pierced gothic buildings.
• In general, the proportions are not traditional in any way, some architectural elements are used with a lot of freedom (columns, entablature ....) As if they were beaded gothic, bending, sticking to the arcs, etc.
• In general, the decoration entirely covers the surface, creating an image for embroidery, whose history in Spain is to be found in the Mudejar decoration. In fact, in some places there is a synthesis of Moorish and Renaissance style, the style called cisneros. The

most significant architectural works of this period are
• The College of Santa Cruz, Valladolid, Lorenzo Vazquez.
The door of the skins, the Cathedral of Burgos, Francisco de Colonia.
• The Golden Stairs Burgos Cathedral, Diego of Siloam.
• The Church of Santa Engracia de Zaragoza, the Morlanes.
• The home of the University of Salamanca, author unknown.
• The House of the shells of Salamanca.
• The Church of San Esteban de Salamanca, by Juan de Álava.
• The facade of the University of Alcalá de Henares, Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón.
• The Monterey Palace in Burgos, Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón.

Classicism Purist
Renaissance or Renaissance is not limited to platerescas forms, another stream will be much more aware of the constructive patterns that characterize the Italian architecture of the time. Spatial and constructive precedence over decoration. A treatise on English architecture Diego Sagredo, published in 1526, is the first disclosure of the statements published Renaissance outside Italy. Pedro Machuca began in 1527 at the Alhambra in Granada the works of the Palace of Charles V, the most classic of English Renaissance buildings.
order not to forget the actual simultaneity of the two streams mentioned, it is sufficient to remember that most of the architects who 'Roman or classical, they also perform works platerescas and even get to mix both artistic choices. Such is the case of Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón or Alonso de Covarrubias. Siloam Diego, author of works platerescas, also stands out for its intervention in the Cathedral of Granada, whose construction took over in 1528, abandoning approaches Egas began Gothic and imposing the classical column, making Chapel in circular crowned with a dome, where it had been traditional to place it in the cruise. His works are numerous, the Cathedral of Guadix, Malaga, St. Jerome's Church also in Granada, etc.
Finally, we will highlight Vandelvira Andrew (1509-1575), which continues the principles of Diego of Siloam. In his work stand out: the Church of the Savior, the Hospital of Santiago, both in Ubeda and Baeza Cathedral. His most important work is the Cathedral of Jaén (1540) which tested the dome vaults. The decoration in his work is based mainly on architectural features.

Lower Renaissance style Herreriano.
In Spain this stage corresponds to the last third of the sixteenth century, and fills the reign of Philip II. The Monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial , whose construction began in 1563 to commemorate the English victory at the Battle of San Quentin, to be completed twenty years later, is the most important and representative of this period. This work and its author are named after a style, or Herreriano Escorial, heavily influenced by the purity of form and sobriety decorative works of Bramante and Michelangelo, which is characterized by:

• The strength of the architectural structures , now entirely classical.
· Lack absolute decoration, ornamentation except to provide constructive elements themselves.
• The beauty of the building is based on the solid monumentality of the whole and in the correct use prinipios and the classical orders, with a marked preference for the more sober (Doric, Tuscan ...). This conceptual and constructive ideal is related to the austere Castilian landscape on which sits the work and the spiritual environment for which it was conceived, also imbued with the austerity of monastic life.
• In this style the grace of Plateresco Purist is replaced by the sobriety of the architectural logic, reaching the abstract, purely intellectual, proportion and measurement, which give the building a symbolic character.

The work of the monastery was begun by Juan Bautista de Toledo, an architect who studied in Italy and worked as a surveyor in the works of St. Peter's command of Michelangelo. The building was to be at the same time, palace, church, monastery and mausoleum-royal burial. His death shortly after started the works, will allow his assistant Juan de Herrera (1530-1597), is the architect commissioned by Philip II for the construction of the building, which will be completed in 1583. Amended the draft of his predecessor, removed up to six towers in an effort to eliminate any symptoms of decorative profusion; raised the western facade of the same height as the other three, and inasmuch as the church, which stands at the core the building was not enough vision, he added such a front facade that has no direct relationship with the church. Juan de Herrera not only stylistic exercise a strong influence at this time but a real artistic control during the reign of Philip II.

Analysis about the monastery

Plant The plant is a rectangle of 207 meters by 61 meters. Is an example of geometry and clarity, with a central axis around which all rooms are arranged. It's a big rectangle that stands only the area intended for the royal apartments.
The basilica or church-mausoleum is located in the east-west. Greek-cross plan, typical of the Italian Cinquecento, on which stands a dome according to the scheme of Michelangelo to San Pedro del Vaticano. The arms are covered with barrel vaults. The chancel is raised with the dual aim of being more visible under the altar housing the royal pantheon. On both sides of the temple, and almost symmetrically, organize yards and other facilities of a grid system that is perfectly balanced around the dome. This arrangement recalls the grid plane, an instrument of the martyrdom of San Lorenzo. Elevation of the building


The new style led by the calculation and symmetry, is the enemy of all decorative exaggeration. The nakedness of the standard symmetrical line with the geometrical harmony of the plant. It is a work of great proportions, square, with a tower at each corner. Heedless of all ornamentation, Juan de Herrera concentrates its ability to achieve the harmony of proportions between the surface and the height between the vertical and horizontal lines, between empty space and blocks of granite (the material with which the monastery is built .) In this "inexorable stone ring, the facade is a huge granite wall naked and more than simple window decoration. This austerity is softened only slightly in the main entrance, where eight attached Doric columns support the small central body, something higher, which places the image San Lorenzo, he finished off with a classical pediment. The corner towers, 55 meters tall, are topped with slate spire, typical architecture of this phase. The dome and bell towers large mass protruding from the stone, but without disturbing its architectural purity.
Around the building there is a wide concourse that allows for contemplation, while emphasizing its strength and monumental austerity.
whole decoration, very low, which abounds in the bays or pinnacles is reduced to pure geometric pyramids, spheres, cubes, etc.. This symbolism geometric hermetic nature, must be interpreted in mathematical key.
The joint command of Philip II Universal State, the Empire where the sun never set, charged excessive coldness and rationalism. The severity of the monastery opens decorative Herrera style, linked to the spirit of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, embodied in the austere figure of the monarch. Details

Patio de los Reyes
The courtyard before the Church. The façade uses the Doric in its simplicity, clarity and geometry. Waiver of any plant or animal ornament, only some figures representing the kings of Judah. The proportions of the building elements are the basis of the beauty of this facade. One must go back to the ancient Doric temples to find much sobriety and classicism. Herrera is more cold than themselves Bramante and Michelangelo, who in his classicism like to break the geometric order with a dab of fantasy, freedom was never allowed Herrera.

Other projects of Juan de Herrera
of your project is smaller for the Cathedral of Valladolid (1585). Square and two towers designed with very large feet and more straightforward in the header, depending on the model of Bramante for St. Peter. His pupil Juan de Nates built in the Herrera style of Sorrows Church in Valladolid.






















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