Spanish Art

Long influenced by Europe and North Africa, as well as drawing upon it’s own interminable layers of tradition and deep regional roots, Spanish art and culture has been one of Spain’s greatest sources of pride and one of its greatest exports. From tall Gothic spires to the unmistakable sounds of flamenco-rock, Spain and its cadre of artists, writers, and architects have long been both cosmopolitan and inward-looking, able to live in the world and apart from it, often managing to combine both at the same time, all in the name of Spanish culture. Spain is probably best known for bullfighting and flamenco dancing but it has also produced some world famous painters over the years. The most well known are obviously Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Goya and Velásquez whose works can be seen in the Prado museum in Madrid. With Goya, a new era in art was born. Spain has also produced some world class composers and opera singers. World famous Spanish composers include Enrique Granados, Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla and Joaquín Rodrigo. Flamenco music and dancing were born here in southern Spain, Andalucía in particular. It has strong gypsy roots and is still very much a part of gypsy (Gitano) culture. Bullfighting or “La corrida de toros” as it’s known, still has an enormous following in Spain. It became popular in the 18th century, when the two first breeds of fighting bulls were created - El Toro Bravo (fighting bull).

 

Painting and Sculpture

In the 16th and 17th centuries, El Greco and Diego Velázquez represented the pinnacle of Spanish painting, just as the celebrated Francisco Goya did in the 18th century. This is known as the “Golden Age” of their culture. Velázquez’s most significant works include the “Las Meninas and La Rendicion de Breda”. Highlights of 20th-century Spanish painting and sculpture include the maximum exponents of Cubism – Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris – and those of Surrealism – Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró. Also influential in sculpture was Eduardo Chillida, whose art was mainly destined to public spaces. As you can appreciate in many of Spain’s fine museums, religious themes dominated medieval and Renaissance art, which was heavily influenced by Italian and European art. Some outstanding examples are the cave paintings of Altamira and those of the Mediterranean Levantine region. There are also still some important vestiges of the old culture of the Iberians, like the sculpture of Lady of Elche.

 

Music

Early Spanish music was highly dependent on models from abroad: Roman music, Moorish music, and in turn, Italian music, though a few genres of specifically Spanish music, such as the religious Mozarabic Chant and zarzuela – thought to be a form of light opera – also developed. In the 20th century, Spanish musicians appropriated rock and pop from abroad for their own purposes. From the mid-1970’s to the late-1980’s, however, Madrid’s Movida movement electrified Spain’s music scene and served as a hotbed for innovation. Mecano, Héroes del Silencio, Gabinete Caligari, and Alaska were some of the best musical groups of this period.
Spain’s current musical panorama includes its own forms of rock, pop, punk, and to a lesser extent, hip-hop. A popular genre of Spanish techno is known as bakalao. Flamenco music is also reinventing itself for a new era with the appearance of Nuevo Flamenco, flamenco-rock, and flamenco fusion.

 

Dance

By far, Flamenco is the best-known Spanish dance form due to the many dancers (“bailaores”) and musicians performing this genre.  As a result, Flamenco has eclipsed the performance of other Spanish dance forms outside of Spain. Flamenco is a genuine Spanish art, and to be more exact an genuine Southern Spanish art. It exists in three forms: Cante, the song, Baile, the dance, and Guitarra, guitar playing. Spanish Folklore is very diverse.  Each region of Spain has its own dances, some of which are centuries old.  These dances include the “muñeira” from Galicia, the “verdiales” from Málaga, the “zorcico” from the Vasc Province, and the “sardana” from Cataluña, all of which are very different.  Folklore is the most distinctive cultural expression of each region.  Through these beautiful dances, the people of each region express their uniqueness and proud cultural heritage. Classical Spanish Dance encompasses sophisticated choreography of Classical Music by great Spanish composers. The dance blends Flamenco, Folklore, and Classical Ballet. Eighteenth Century Dances, called “Escuela Bolera”, are short dances performed with outfits, shoes and castanets typical of the time of the great Spanish painter Goya, which is why they are also called “Goyescas”. Classical ballet includes the technique to display elegance and mastery of movement necessary in a variety of dance forms, including Flamenco, Jazz, Contemporary dance, etc. The Castanets, part of Spain’s musical heritage, are a percussion instrument popular in various Spanish dances.  Mastery of the castanets requires separate study from dance to gain maximum artistic expression.

 

Architecture

The Romans left their mark on Spain, leaving behind the aqueducts, bridges, and theatres that we can still see today. The same is true of Spain’s other rulers: Visigothic churches with horseshoe arches, pre-Romanesque churches from isolated Christian rulers in northern Spain, and fine Islamic architecture built under Moorish rule that made extensive use of arches, tiles, geometric patterns, and courtyards, the zenith of which can be found in Granada’s Alhambra palace. The struggle between Christian and Moorish Spain brought about a cross-pollination of techniques and styles, bringing Mozarabic, Mudéjar, and Romanesque architecture to light. These styles are most evident in the churches that litter the Spanish countryside. Spain’s Gothic and Renaissance architecture is also best remembered for its religious manifestations: the towering cathedrals of Burgos, León, Toledo, Sevilla, and Granada, as well as a great number of churches. In the 20th century, Modernisme (known as Art Noveau in other countries) left its mark mostly on Barcelona, of which Antoni Gaudí’s efforts are the best known. This was followed by Art Deco in Madrid, mainly concentrated along Gran Vía, and then a later, sober Francoist style. Today architect Santiago Calatrava’s white City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia and (American) Frank Gehry’s undulating titanium of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao best exemplify contemporary architecture in Spain.

 

Besides these Spain has lot more to offer. Large variety of Arts and Crafts of Spain is in keeping with the age-old tradition. Catalonian textiles and hand-woven rugs are world famous. Leather goods are extremely popular with the tourists. Some fairs are also arranged to sell and showcase the works of various artists. Crafted wooden products, colourful painted ceramics attracts visitors from all over the world. Various art galleries are also there to display the works of various artists. The Museo Del Prado is an excellent piece of structure which features the collection of Spanish, Italian and Flamenco art dating back to the fifteenth century. This rich tradition of Art and craft of Spain enriches the culture of the country.