Spanish Baroque Architecture and Sculpture: 17th-18th Centuries
Spanish Baroque Architecture: 17th and 18th Centuries
Spanish Baroque architecture does not present the European character of splendid urban creations or unique buildings due to the economic and social conditions existing in the 17th century. Civil constructions are part of the Baroque style of Herrera de los Austrias: towers on the corners crowned with spires, slate roofs, brick and stonework at the corners and walls, mansard roofs, and sober ornamentation. There is no equivalent to European urbanism in Madrid, and the city’s economic weakness is reflected in the absence of major development plans to remodel the old neighborhoods.
Development of the “Plaza Mayor” Model
A model of “Plaza Mayor” was developed, a place that served as a traditional center, city hub, and entertainment space. This venue was suitable for theatrical performances, bullfights, or autos-da-fé. They are usually rectangular and have houses on the sides. The homes are low and house shopping arcades. On the patio stand three or four floors of balconies that lighten the wall, and dormers on the roof. They are regular and simple.
Madrid: A Major Baroque Center
Madrid is one of the main centers of the Baroque. With Philip II, it became the capital of the kingdom, thereby increasing the population and the need to show off its new role. However, it was poorer than Paris. The main square is the new hub of the city. It is the setting for the statue of the King, but almost always it is framed by a municipality or another important municipal building. It is situated outside the city traffic that passes through nearby streets, and roads leading to its side, without crossing the square. This achieves a closed environment, unlike the open plaza in front of the French.
The Bourbon Dynasty and the Culmination of Spanish Baroque
Coinciding with the arrival of the Bourbon dynasty to the throne in the 18th century, an economic revival occurred, which is reflected in a greater number of orders and will reach the culmination of the Spanish Baroque. In Castile, the most representative figures are the Churriguera family, architects, sculptors, and authors of retablos that project their work to all Spanish regions. The importance of their style led to the term “Churrigueresque,” which in Spain even replaced the term Baroque.
Alberto Churriguera and the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca
Alberto Churriguera designed the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, similar to Madrid’s, with a closed path. It houses the gallows and three-story uniform housing. The beautiful decoration, polychrome effects of the stone and granite, wrought iron balconies, and the attic balustrade with obelisks make this place a unique example of a happy and festive tone, contrasting with the severity of other places in Castile.
Baroque Sculpture: Realism and Religious Themes
Sculpture is characterized by its realism. Artists used glass eyes, wigs, dresses, and glass tears. The introduction of motion is achieved through diagonal lines and painted escorzos (foreshortenings). Wood was the preferred material. Special importance is attached to the treatment of drapery, for which the estofado technique was used.
Religious Themes and Processions
The predominant religious themes reflect on the meaning of life, the inevitability of death, and the vanity of all things worldly. Religious processions became a major means of bringing religion to the people. Many of the best sculptures of the Spanish Baroque are processional floats. Sculptures were made for processions or altarpieces.