Malcolm Rivera
The Spanish Golden Age is a term that generally refers to the flourishing of arts, literature, politics, law, philosophy, and other fields in Spain during the 16th and 17th centuries. During this period, Spanish painting was influenced by the country's religious orders and powerful patrons, including King Philip II and IV, who favoured religious themes and introduced foreign styles, contributing to the development of a unique Spanish style of painting. This era saw the rise of influential painters such as El Greco, Diego Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, whose works continue to shape our understanding of art today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time Period | 16th and 17th centuries |
| Themes | Religion, Portraits, Landscapes |
| Religion | Catholicism |
| Style | Flemish and Italian Influence, Realism, Mysticism, Classical and Naturalistic |
| Artists | El Greco, Diego Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, Jusepe de Ribera, Luis de Morales, Vicente Carducho, Francisco Pacheco |
| Patrons | Wealthy patrons, Catholic Church, Spanish Monarchs, Aristocracy |
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What You'll Learn
Religious themes
The Golden Age of painting in Spain is generally considered to span the late 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries. During this period, the vast majority of paintings produced in Spain were religious in nature. These religious artworks were often commissioned by the Catholic Church, which recognised the power of paintings to reinforce religious messages and counter the rise of Protestantism.
The religious paintings of the Spanish Golden Age frequently depicted biblical figures such as Christ, the Virgin Mary, and saints, often dressed in contemporary clothing to increase their accessibility to everyday worshippers. These religious themes were also influenced by Italian and Flemish artists, who were initially favoured by Spanish patrons due to their mastery of new techniques and prestige. The Italian influence resulted in characteristics such as serene, feminine idealisation, classical settings, softly-coloured landscapes, sfumato, chiaroscuro, and angelic cherubs and putti.
Spanish artists, including Diego Velázquez, began to assert their independence from foreign influences towards the end of the 16th century, giving rise to the Golden Age of Spanish Painting. Velázquez, a respected artist in his time, was known for his artistic realism and emotional expression, as seen in his portraits of statesmen, aristocrats, and clergymen. His works, such as "Las Meninas", demonstrate the concerns of the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Another notable artist of the Spanish Golden Age is El Greco, originally from Crete, who studied the Italian masters during his time in Italy. El Greco's unique expressionistic style, characterised by elongated figures and vibrant colours, influenced a new European tradition in landscapes. His works introduced foreign styles to Spanish art, contributing to the development of a distinctively Spanish style of painting.
The religious themes prevalent in Spanish Golden Age painting reflected the patronage of Spain's Catholic monarchs and aristocracy, as well as the Counter-Reformation movement. These artworks served as visual aids to the Bible, exalting religious figures and eliciting emotional responses from viewers.
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Flemish influence
The Flemish influence on Spain's Golden Age of painting was significant, with Flemish painters and techniques highly sought-after by wealthy patrons. This influence was particularly prominent in the 15th century and continued into the 16th century, with the importation of artworks and engravings from Flanders that inspired local artists. The term "Hispano-Flemish Painting" has been used to describe this period of artistic exchange.
Flemish painters were favoured by Spanish patrons due to their cutting-edge techniques, particularly their mastery of oil painting, which allowed for greater realism and detail. The rise of a mercantile class in Flanders also influenced the demand for works on a smaller scale for household worship, often with portraits of patrons included. This combination of Flemish and Italian styles, known for its sharp details and realistic touches, was widely popular in Spain, with thousands of paintings reflecting this influence.
One of the most notable Flemish artists of the time was Juan van der Hamen, the son of a Flemish aristocrat at the court in Madrid. Van der Hamen is considered one of the greatest still-life painters of the 17th century, known for his detailed and convincing depictions of everyday objects. Another influential Flemish painter was Bartolomé Bermejo, whose work "Pietà with St. Jerome and Archdeacon Esplà" showcases sharp details and realistic touches, such as St. Jerome's pince-nez and the portrait of Archdeacon Esplà.
While Spanish artists like El Greco and Diego Velázquez were also influential during this period, they were often overshadowed by foreign-born artists, particularly those from Flanders and Italy. El Greco, despite being born in Crete, studied the great Italian masters during his time in Italy, including Titian, Tintoretto, and Michelangelo. He developed a unique expressionistic style characterised by elongated figures, vibrant colours, and brushwork, which influenced later Dutch masters. Velázquez, on the other hand, was influenced by Venetian artists, especially Titian, and his work reflected a belief in artistic realism that was comparable to the Dutch masters.
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Italian influence
The Italian influence on Spanish Golden Age painting was significant, with Italian painters being favoured over native Spanish artists for much of the 16th century. This was due to several factors, including the prestige and influence of Italian painters, the cutting-edge techniques they employed, and the widespread sponsorship of the Catholic Church.
Italian painters of the Renaissance had perfected new techniques such as linear perspective and sfumato (blending of tones and outlines), adding depth and substance to their works. They also excelled in classical literature, opening up new themes and subjects for exploration. Italian painters were also sought after by the Catholic Church, which had a powerful influence on art during this period, as it sought to reinforce religious messages in the face of the Protestant Reformation.
Italian artists like Titian, Tintoretto, and Michelangelo were admired and studied by Spanish painters like El Greco, who lived in Italy from 1568 to 1577 before settling in Toledo, Spain. El Greco's unique expressionistic style influenced later Dutch masters and set a new standard for landscape painting.
Italian painters also dominated the field of portraiture during the early part of the Spanish Golden Age. The Spanish intellectual and literary figures who travelled to Italy in the 16th and 17th centuries, such as the poet Garcilaso de la Vega and the painter Alonso de Berruguete, brought back Italian influences and set trends.
Spanish artists eventually caught up with Italian techniques, and by the 17th century, native painters like Diego Velázquez, Bartolomé Murillo, and Francisco de Zurbarán were producing works that rivalled their Italian counterparts. Zurbarán, for example, was influenced by Michelangelo da Caravaggio and dedicated himself to an artistic expression of religion and faith, becoming a defining characteristic of Spanish art.
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Political and social context
The Spanish Golden Age, also known as Siglo de Oro or "Golden Century", is generally considered to have begun in 1492, coinciding with the end of the Reconquista, the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the New World, and the publication of Antonio de Nebrija's Grammar of the Castilian Language. This era also marked the unification of various Christian kingdoms under the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile, into a single state. The start of the Golden Age also witnessed the expulsion of Jews and the defeat of Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain). The political stability brought about by this union, along with the rise of the Habsburg dynasty, laid the foundation for a period of remarkable achievements in various fields, including politics, literature, art, sculpture, and philosophy.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain experienced a flourishing of the arts, with religious themes dominating the painting landscape. The Catholic Church played a significant role in patronising the arts, utilising paintings to reinforce religious messages and counter the challenges posed by the birth of Protestantism. Flemish and Italian artists were initially favoured by Spanish patrons due to their mastery of new techniques and prestige. However, native Spanish painters like Diego Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, and Bartolomé Esteban Murillo gained prominence during this period, with their works showcasing narrative flair, emotional appeal, and innovative portraiture.
The Golden Age in Spain was also marked by social and intellectual transformations. Devotion to the Virgin Mary remained a strong aspect of Catholic Spain and its colonies. The printing press revolutionised the circulation of books and written materials, while exploration and the discovery of ancient texts further enriched the cultural landscape. This period witnessed the construction of iconic structures such as the Palace of Charles V, El Escorial, and the Plaza Mayor in Madrid, reflecting the interconnectedness of education, politics, and religion.
The Spanish Golden Age was not without its critics, as some viewed the empire as corrupt and cruel. The methods of the Inquisition, Spain's treatment of indigenous peoples and non-Catholic cultures, and the excesses committed during the post-Reformation religious wars drew scrutiny. Nonetheless, this era witnessed the creation of some of Spain's greatest music, with composers like Tomás Luis de Victoria and Cristóbal de Morales shaping Renaissance music styles.
The end of the Spanish Golden Age is generally associated with the death of Pedro Calderón de la Barca in 1681, marking the conclusion of this flourishing period in Spanish arts and literature. The Treaty of the Pyrenees, ratified between France and Habsburg Spain in 1659, also signalled the political conclusion of this era.
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Spanish patronage
The Spanish Golden Age was a period of flourishing in arts and literature in Spain, coinciding with the political rise and decline of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty. It is generally thought to have begun in 1492, with the end of the Reconquista and the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the New World, and ended in 1681 with the death of Pedro Calderón de la Barca, the last great writer of the age. The Golden Age was a broad period of outstanding Spanish achievements in politics, literature, art, sculpture, architecture, and humanistic studies.
During this time, artists' livelihoods depended on the patronage and commissions of wealthy patrons. While there were hundreds of Spanish-born painters in Spain during the Golden Age, they were largely overlooked in the 16th century by wealthy patrons in favour of foreign-born artists. The most significant patron of Spanish art and culture during this time was King Philip II (1556–1598). During his reign, Philip II's royal palace, El Escorial, attracted some of Europe's greatest architects and painters, including El Greco. These artists introduced foreign styles to Spanish art, contributing to the development of a uniquely Spanish style of painting.
El Greco (born Domenikos Theotokopoulos) was not Spanish but a native of Crete who arrived in Spain in 1576, after first studying for ten years in Venice and Rome. He was known for his unique expressionistic style, which elicited both puzzlement and admiration. El Greco's paintings of the city of Toledo became models for a new European tradition in landscapes and influenced the work of later Dutch masters. In his lifetime, El Greco was influential in creating a style based on impressions and emotion, characterized by elongated fingers and vibrant colour and brushwork.
Diego Velázquez, regarded as one of the most influential painters of European history, was patronized by King Philip IV and his chief minister, the Count-Duke of Olivares. Velázquez became a court painter for King Philip IV and gained increasing demand across Europe for his portraits of statesmen, aristocrats, and clergymen. Following the Thirty Years' War, Velázquez met the Marqués de Spinola and painted his famous Surrender of Breda (1635), celebrating Spinola's victory at Breda in 1625. Spinola was impressed by Velázquez's ability to convey emotion through realism in both his portraits and landscapes, the latter of which became a lasting influence on Western painting.
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Frequently asked questions
The Golden Age of painting in Spain is considered to encompass the 16th and 17th centuries. It was a period of flourishing arts and literature in Spain, coinciding with the rise and fall of the Spanish Habsburg dynasty.
The majority of paintings produced during this time were religious, often depicting saints and other heavenly figures. This was in response to the demands of patrons at home and in Spain's colonies in Mexico and Peru.
In addition to painting, the Golden Age saw significant achievements in sculpture, architecture, and music. Composers such as Tomás Luis de Victoria and Cristóbal de Morales helped shape Renaissance music styles.
Some of the most influential painters of the era include El Greco, Diego Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, and Jusepe de Ribera.
Flemish and Italian artists were initially favoured during this period due to their mastery of new techniques and prestige. As a result, Spanish art during the Golden Age reflected a mix of Flemish, Italian, and Spanish influences, contributing to the development of a uniquely Spanish style.
