Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists)

Spain (Spanish: España).
Spain The country of Spain.
Spain State of Spain.

SPAIN!
In ancient times, this country was called Iberia!
The Greeks called Spain Hesperia - the country of the evening star, and the Romans called it Hispania.!
But no matter how they call Spain, this is a country that has always aroused and continues to arouse admiration and surprise!

The official name of the state of Spain is the Kingdom of Spain.
The Kingdom of Spain is a state in southwestern Europe. The Kingdom of Spain occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula.
Spain is washed by the Atlantic Ocean in the north and west, as well as the Mediterranean Sea in the south and east.
Spain It is believed that the name of the country comes from the Phoenician expression "i-spanim", which means "coast of rabbits".
Spain The capital of the Kingdom of Spain the city of Madrid
Spain The largest cities in Spain are: Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Valencia, Seville, Zaragoza, Malaga
Spain The Kingdom of Spain borders:
in the west of the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal;
in the south of the Iberian Peninsula with the British possession of Gibraltar;
in northern Africa with Morocco (enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla);
in the north with France and Andorra.
Spain Today, more than 45 million people live in the Kingdom of Spain.
Spain The main national holiday in the Kingdom of Spain is the Day of the Spanish Nation, which is celebrated annually on October 12 (the day of the discovery of America by the most famous Spaniard Christopher Columbus is chosen as the Day of the Spanish Nation!).

Spain History of Spain
Spain Ancient history Spain Primitive Society
Spain Primitive society The first traces of the appearance of man in the north of the Iberian Peninsula date back to the end of the Paleolithic. Stylized drawings of animals on the walls of caves appeared about 15 thousand years BC. e. The best preserved paintings are in Altamira and in Puente Viesgo near Santander.
Spain Primitive society In the south and east of the territory of modern Spain in the III millennium BC. e. Iberian tribes appeared. Some hypotheses suggest that the Iberian tribes came here from the territory of North Africa. From these tribes comes the ancient name of the peninsula - Iberian. In the middle of the II millennium BC. e. Iberians began to settle in fortified villages on the territory of modern Castile. And five centuries later they were joined by the Celtic and Germanic tribes.
Spain Primitive society The Iberians were mainly engaged in agriculture, cattle breeding and hunting, they knew how to make tools from copper and bronze. The Iberians had their own script. The Celts and Iberians lived side by side, sometimes uniting, but more often fighting with each other, and, in the end, created the Celtiberian culture, becoming famous as warriors. It was here that the double-edged sword was invented, which later became the standard weapon of the Roman army.

Spain History of Spain Ancient Spain
Spain History of ancient Spain The first colonies on the territory of modern Spain belonged to the Phoenicians. Around 1100 B.C. e. The Phoenicians settled on the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, where their colonies of Malaka, Gadir (Cadiz), Cordoba and many others were founded.
Spain History of ancient Spain On the east coast of modern Spain (modern Costa Brava), the colonies were founded by the ancient Greeks. After 680 B.C. e. the city of Carthage became the main center of Phoenician civilization, and the Carthaginians established a trading monopoly in the Strait of Gibraltar. On the east coast, Iberian cities were founded, reminiscent of the Greek city-states.
Spain The history of ancient Spain In Andalusia, from the first half to the middle of the 1st millennium BC. e. there was a state of Tartessos. The origin of the inhabitants of Tartessos - the Turdetans, obviously close to the Iberians, but standing at a higher stage of development, still does not have a sufficiently indisputable version.
Spain History of ancient Spain In the V-IV centuries BC. e. the influence of Carthage is increasing, the empire of Carthogen at that time occupied most of Andalusia and the Mediterranean coast. The largest colony of the Carthaginians on the Iberian Peninsula was New Carthage (modern Cartagena).
Spain History of ancient Spain At the end of the First Punic War, Hamilcar and Hannibal subjugated the south and east of the peninsula to the Carthaginians (237-219 BC). The defeat of the Carthaginians (whose troops were led by Hannibal) in the Second Punic War in 210 BC. e. paved the way for the establishment of Roman domination in the Iberian Peninsula. The Carthaginians finally lost their possessions after the victories of Scipio the Elder (206 BC).
Spain The history of ancient Spain The Romans tried to bring the entire territory of the Iberian Peninsula under their citizenship, but they succeeded only after 200 years of bloody wars. The Celtiberians and Lusitanians (under the leadership of Viriatus) resisted especially stubbornly, and the Cantabri only in 19 BC. e. were conquered by Emperor Augustus, who divided Spain instead of the previous two provinces (Hispania citerior and Hispania ulterior) into three - Lusitania, Batica and Tarraconian Spain. From the latter, the emperor Hadrian separated Gallaecia, from Asturias.
Spain The history of ancient Spain and the Roman Empire gave a powerful new impetus to the development of Spain. Roman influence was strongest in Andalusia, southern Portugal and the Catalan coast near Tarragona. The Basques were never fully Romanized, while the other pre-Roman peoples of Iberia were already assimilated by the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. e.
Spain The history of ancient Spain and the Roman Empire During their reign, the Romans spent many military roads in Spain and set up numerous military settlements (colonies). Spain in that period was rapidly Romanized, even becoming one of the centers of Roman culture and one of the most flourishing parts of the Roman Empire, to which Spain gave its best emperors (Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus, Marcus Aurelius, Theodosius) and remarkable writers (both Senech, Lucan, Pomponius Melu, Martial, Quintilian and many others).
Spain The history of ancient Spain and the Roman Empire Trade flourished on the territory of Spain, industry and agriculture were at a high degree of development, the population was very numerous (according to Pliny the Elder, under Vespasian there were 360 ​​cities).
Spain History of ancient Spain For the first two centuries of our era, gold from Spanish mines served as a source of wealth for the country. Villas and public buildings were built in Mérida and Cordoba, and the inhabitants used roads, bridges and aqueducts for many centuries. Several bridges in Segovia and Tarragona have survived to this day.
Spain The history of ancient Spain The three living Spanish languages ​​are rooted in Latin, and Roman law became the foundation of the Spanish legal system. Christianity appeared on the peninsula very early, for some time Christian communities were subjected to severe persecution.
Spain History of ancient Spain In the V century AD. e. barbarians poured into the Iberian Peninsula - the Germanic tribes of the Sueves, Vandals, Visigoths and the Sarmatian tribe of the Alans, which accelerated the collapse of the already declining Roman Empire.
Spain History of ancient Spain In 415, the Visigoths appeared in Spain, first as allies of the Romans. Gradually, the Visigoths drove the Vandals and Alans into northern Africa and created a kingdom with its capital in Barcelona, ​​and then in Toledo. The Sueves settled in the northwest in Galicia, creating the Suevian kingdom.
Spain History of ancient Spain The state of the Visigoths suffered from many shortcomings that undermined its existence; huge social inequality was inherited from Roman times between a few owners of huge latifundia and the mass of the population, ruined by taxes and oppressed; the Catholic clergy acquired excessive power and, in alliance with the nobility, interfered with the consolidation of a firm order of succession to the throne, in order to narrow the limits of royal power as far as possible in the election of each new king; a new class of disaffected arose as a result of the forced conversion of Jews (according to Gibbon, the number of forcibly converted reached 30,000).
Spain The history of ancient Spain Despite all the difficulties, the Visigoths, making up only about 4% of the population, in the VI century AD. e. they annexed the Suebi to their kingdom, and by the 8th century they also ousted the Byzantines (who settled in the south and southeast of the peninsula in the middle of the 6th century).
Spain History of ancient Spain The three-hundred-year rule of the Visigoths on the territory of the Iberian (Perinean) peninsula left a significant mark on the culture of the peninsula, but did not lead to the creation united nation. The Visigothic system of electing a monarch created a fertile ground for conspiracies and intrigues. Although in 589 the Visigothic king Reccared I converted to Catholicism, this did not remove all the contradictions, religious strife only intensified. By the 7th century, all non-Christians, especially Jews, were faced with a choice: exile or conversion to Christianity.

Spain History of Spain Byzantine Spain
Spain Byzantine Spain was conquered from the Visigothic kingdom by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. The springboard for the invasion of Visigothic Spain was the lands of the Vandal kingdom defeated by the Byzantines in North Africa, including the fortress of Ceuta. The Byzantine army managed to advance deep into the Iberian Peninsula for 150-200 km, subjugating the Guadalquivir valley, Andalusia and the southern coastal strip from the Algarve to Valencia. Byzantine Spain also included the Balearic Islands, in which, due to their more eastern geographical position, the influences of Byzantine culture proper were most strongly felt.
Spain Byzantine Spain The provincial capital was probably Cordoba, then Cartagena and/or Malaga. The overwhelming majority of the population of Byzantine Spain, as well as Spain as a whole, were Romano-speaking Hispano-Romans (Ibero-Romans). Representatives of German Arianism, Western (Roman) and Eastern (Constantinople) Orthodox Christianity (including Orthodoxy) coexisted in the region. Relations between representatives of the three faiths were rather cool, although not as antagonistic as in Visigothic Spain.
Spain Byzantine Spain Until now, the boundaries of the territory occupied by the Byzantines in Spain are not exactly known, although a formal agreement on the existence of a border between the Byzantine and Visigothic possessions was drawn up around 555. It provided for the free crossing of the border in any direction, which was soon taken advantage of by the strengthened Visigothic kings. Very soon, the Visigoths began to make predatory raids in the countryside, and only isolated fortified cities recognized the power of the Byzantine emperor or his governor.
Spain Byzantine Spain In 568 - 586 Leovigild captured almost all of Byzantium's inland possessions in Spain. After that, Byzantium controlled only a narrow coastal strip south of the Sierra Nevada mountains. By 624, the Visigoths captured the last Byzantine cities, but already in 711, Spain was covered by a wave of Arab invasion under the banner of Islam.

Spain History of Spain Muslim domination Moors
Spain History of Spain In 711, one of the Visigothic clans called for help from Arabs and Berbers from North Africa who were later called the Moors. The Mauritanian corps was led by Tariq ibn Ziyad (the name Gibraltar comes from his name - the distorted "Jabal Tariq" - "Tariq's Rock"). The Arabs crossed from Africa to Spain and with a victory near Jerez de la Frontera, on the river called Wadi Becca by the Arabs, they put an end to the Visigothic state that had existed for almost 300 years. Almost all of Spain was quickly conquered by the Arabs and formed part of the great Umayyad Caliphate.
Spain History of Spain The rapid conquest of the peninsula by the Moors in just a few years is an amazing example of the rapid spread of Islam. Despite the desperate resistance of the Visigoths, ten years later only the mountainous regions of Asturias remained unconquered.
Spain History of Spain Until the middle of the VIII century, the Mauritanian territories were part of the Umayyad Caliphate, the origin of the name of the Mauritanian state Al-Andalus dates back to the same time, the territory of which either increased or decreased, depending on the success of the Reconquista.
Spain History of Spain The Arabs (Moors) at first treated the population of conquered Spain very mercifully and spared their property, language and religion. Their domination eased the position of the lower classes and the Jews, and the transition to Islam provided slaves and forced laborers with freedom. Many of the free and noble also accepted the new faith, and soon most of the Arab subjects belonged to it. At the same time, the Moors were very tolerant of Christians and Jews, granted autonomy to various areas and made a huge contribution to the development of Spanish culture, creating a unique style in architecture and fine arts.

Spain History of Spain Reconquista
Spain History of Spain The Christian Reconquista (in translation - "reconquest") is a continuous centuries-old war against the Moors, started by part of the Visigothic nobility led by Pelayo. In 718, the advance of the expeditionary force of the Moors at Covadonga was stopped.
Spain History of Spain Pelayo's grandson Alfonso I (739-757), son of the first Cantabrian duke Pedro and Pelayo's daughter, connected Cantabria with Asturias. In the middle of the VIII century, the Asturian Christians under the leadership of King Alfonso I, taking advantage of the Berber uprising, occupied neighboring Galicia. In Galicia, the tomb of Saint James (Santiago) was claimed to have been discovered, and Santiago de Compostela becomes a center of pilgrimage.
Spain History of Spain Alfonso II (791-842) undertook devastating raids against the Arabs up to the Tajo River and conquered the Basque country and Galicia up to the Minho River. At the same time, in the north-west of Spain, the Franks, under Charlemagne, stopped the Muslim advance into Europe and created the Spanish March in the north-east of the peninsula (the border area between the possessions of the Franks and the Arabs), which broke up in the 9th-11th centuries into the counties of Navarre, Aragon and Barcelona (in 1137 Aragon and Barcelona united to form the Kingdom of Aragon) and ensured, by numerous migrations, the dominance of Christianity in Catalonia. In the almost unceasing wars with the infidels, a brave feudal nobility developed. To the north of the Duero and the Ebro, four groups of Christian possessions gradually formed, with legislative assemblies and rights recognized by the estates (fueros):
1) in the north-west of Asturias, Leon and Galicia, which in the tenth century under Ordoño II and Ramiro II were united into the kingdom of León, and in 1057, after a short subjugation of Navarre, the son of Sancho the Great, Fernando, were united into the kingdom of Castile;
2) the Basque country, together with the neighboring region, Garcia, was proclaimed the kingdom of Navarre, which, under Sancho the Great (970-1035), extended its power to the whole of Christian Spain, was united with Aragon in 1076-1134, but then again freed;
3) a country on the left bank of the Ebro, Aragon, since 1035 an independent kingdom;
4) the hereditary margraviate of Barcelona, ​​or Catalonia, which arose from the Spanish brand. Despite this fragmentation, the Christian states were not inferior in strength to the Arabs.
Spain The history of Spain, the Reconquista, led to the fact that the Spanish peasants and residents of the cities who fought along with the knights received significant benefits. Most of the peasants did not experience serfdom, free peasant communities arose on the liberated lands of Castile, and cities (especially in the XII-XIII centuries) received greater rights.
Spain History of Spain When, after the fall of the Umayyad dynasty (1031), the Arab state fell apart, the county of Leon-Asturias, under the rule of Ferdinad I, received the status of a kingdom and became the main stronghold of the Reconquista. In the north, at the same time, the Basques founded Navarre, and Aragon merged with Catalonia as a result of a dynastic marriage. In 1085, the Christians captured Toledo, and then Talavera, Madrid and other cities fell under the power of the Christians. Summoned by the Emir of Seville from Africa, the Almoravids gave new strength to Islam with victories at Sallak (1086) and Ucles (1108) and again united Arab Spain; but the religious fervor and military courage of the Christians at the same time received a new impetus from the crusades.
Spain History of Spain The Almoravides (1090-1145) briefly stopped the spread of the Reconquista. The period of their reign includes the exploits of the legendary knight Cid Campeador, who conquered the lands in Valencia in 1095 and became a national hero of Spain.
Spain History of Spain In 1147, the African Almoravides, overthrown by the Almohads, turned to the Christians for help, who took possession of Almeria and Tortosa on this occasion. The Spanish knightly orders (Calatrava from 1158, San Yago de Compostella from 1175, Alcantara from 1176) fought especially successfully against the Almohads, who subjugated southern Spain, who made up for the defeat at Alarcos (1195) with a victory at Las Navas de Tolosa (July 16, 1212). It was the most impressive victory over the Almohads, which was won by the united kings of León, Castile, Aragon and Navarre. This was soon followed by the fall of the power of the Almogads.
Spain History of Spain Battle of Merida (1230) Extremadura was taken from the Arabs; after the battle of Jerez de Guadiana (1233), Ferdinand III of Castile in 1236 led his army to Cordoba, and twelve years later to Seville. The Portuguese kingdom expanded almost to its present size, and the king of Aragon conquered Valencia, Alicante, and the Balearic Islands. Muslims moved in thousands to Africa and to Grenada or Murcia, but these states also had to recognize the supremacy of Castile. The Muslims who remained under Castilian rule more and more adopted the religion and customs of the conquerors; many rich and noble Arabs, having been baptized, passed into the ranks of the Spanish aristocracy. By the end of the 13th century, only the Emirate of Grenada remained on the peninsula, forced to pay tribute.
Spain History of Spain While the external power of Castile increased greatly due to the victories of Ferdinand III, turmoil raged inside the country, which, especially during the reign of the patron of science and art, Alphonse X the Wise (1252-1284) and his immediate successors, served as a source of unrest and increased power nobility. Crown lands were plundered by private individuals; communities, unions and powerful nobles resorted to lynching and were freed from all power.
Spain History of Spain In Aragon, James I (Jaime, 1213-1276) subdued the Balearic Islands and Valencia and penetrated as far as Murcia. The son of James I - Pedro III (1276-1285) successfully continued the work begun by his father. Pedro III took Sicily from the house of Anjou. Later, James II (1291-1327) conquered Sardinia and in 1319, at the Diet in Tarragona, established the indivisibility of the state.
Spain History of Spain These conquests cost the Aragonese kings many concessions to the estates, of which the Zaragoza "general privilege" of 1283 is especially important. In 1287, Alphonse III added to it the "privilege of the union", which recognized the right of subjects to revolt in case of violation of their freedom. In both states the clergy were the most powerful class; victories over the infidels increased his rights and wealth, and his influence on the lower classes of the people aroused in them a spirit of persecution and fanaticism. The higher nobility included among its rights the right to refuse obedience to the king. All nobles were free from taxes. Cities and rural communities had their own special rights (fueros), recognized for them by special treaties. In both states, the estates gathered at the Diets (Cortes), conferring on the welfare and security of the country, on laws and taxes. Trade and industry were protected by provident laws. The royal court patronized the poetry of the troubadours. Most of all, the internal improvement of the state advanced in Aragon under Pedro IV (1336-1387), who eliminated some of the burdensome aspects of noble privileges, among other things, the right to war. Thanks to these measures, when the old dynasty died out (1410), the Castilian one, represented by Ferdinand I (1414-1416), came to the throne, who retained power over the Baleares, Sardinia and Sicily and for a short time took possession of Navarre as well.
Spain History of Spain In Castile, on the contrary, the higher nobility and orders of chivalry dominated. The desire of cities for independence from the feudal aristocracy was not crowned with success due to the tyranny of Pedro the Cruel (1350-1369). The French and the British intervened in the strife caused by it. To XIV century the temporary alliances of the Christian kingdoms fell apart, and each began to pursue its own personal interests. Henry II (1369-1379), who took possession of Biscay, and Juan (John) I (1379-1390) weakened the kingdom with fruitless attempts to conquer Portugal, but the two-year war ended with the defeat of the Castilian army in 1385, when Portugal victoriously defended its independence at the Battle of Alhubarrota.
Spain History of Spain Nevertheless, the victories over the Arabs went on as usual: in 1340, Alfonso XI won a brilliant victory at Salado, and four years later, with the conquest of Algeziras, Grenada was cut off from Africa.
Spain History of Spain Henry III (1390-1406) restored order and took possession of the Canary Islands. Again Castile was thrown into disarray by the long and feeble reign of Juan II (1406-1454). The unrest that grew under Henry IV ended with the accession to the throne of his sister Isabella. She defeated King Alfonso of Portugal and subdued her recalcitrant subjects with weapons.

Spain History of Spain Unification of Spain into the Kingdom of Spain
Spain History of Spain In 1469, a significant event for the future of Spain took place: the marriage between Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, whom Pope Alexander VI called "Catholic kings." Ferdinand II of Aragon, after the death of his father, John II of Aragon, in 1479 inherited the Kingdom of Aragon, the union of the Castilian and Aragonese crowns marked the beginning of the Kingdom of Spain. Nevertheless, the political unification of Spain was completed only by the end of the 15th century; Navarre was annexed in 1512.
Spain History of Spain In 1478, Ferdinand and Isabella approved an ecclesiastical court - the Inquisition, designed to protect purity catholic faith. The persecution of Jews, Muslims, and later Protestants began. Several thousand suspects of heresy went through torture and ended their lives at the stake (auto-da-fe - initially the announcement, and then the execution of the sentence, in particular, public burning at the stake). In 1492, the head of the Inquisition, the Dominican priest Tomaso Torquemada, convinced Ferdinand and Isabella to persecute non-Christian people throughout the country. Torquemada burned in the fires of the Inquisition anusim - (en: Anusim - "forced"), Jews who were forced to convert to another religion, but in one way or another they observed the prescriptions of Judaism. Many Jews fled from Spain, but the Jews still lived better than other Catholics and held high positions, for example, Don Yitzhak Abarbanel was the Minister of Finance at the court of the Spanish king.
Spain History of Spain To put an end to wrongdoing by the nobility, the ancient Hermandad brotherhood was restored. The highest positions were transferred to the king. The higher Catholic clergy were subject to royal jurisdiction. Ferdinand was elected Grand Master of the three orders of chivalry, which made them obedient instruments of the crown. The Inquisition helped the government keep the nobility and people in obedience. The administration was reorganized, the royal revenues increased, some of them went to the promotion of sciences and arts. In 1492, numerous Jews (160,000 thousand) were expelled from the state.
Spain History of Spain With the conquest of Grenada by Spain (January 2, 1492), the time of the Reconquista ends. And in the same year, Christopher Columbus reaches America and establishes Spanish colonies there. The discovery of America gave Spain a wide field of activity on the other side of the ocean.

Spain History of Spain Golden Age of Spain
Spain Golden Age of Spain The end of the Reconquista and the beginning of the conquest of America allowed Spain to become for a short time the strongest political power in Europe. The ambitions of the numerous Spanish nobility (hidalgo) and the inspiration from the success of the centuries-old "holy war" under the banner of the Catholic faith made the Spanish army one of the strongest in the world and demanded new military victories.
Spain The golden age of Spain Already in the wars for Italy in 1504 Naples was conquered by Spain. The heiress of Ferdinand and Isabella was their eldest daughter Juana, who married Philip I, son of Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg. When Philip died young in 1506, and Juana went mad, Ferdinand was appointed guardian of her son Charles by the Castilian estates, who conquered Oran in 1509 and annexed Navarre to Spain in 1512. After the death of Ferdinand (1516), Cardinal Jimenez assumed the regency until the arrival of the young king Charles I, who in 1517 took over personally. Charles of the House of Habsburg in 1519 becomes, under the name of Charles V, also Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
Spain Golden Age of Spain When Charles was elected German emperor in 1519 (as Charles V) and therefore left Spain again (1520), the Communeros revolted against the absolutism of Charles and his Dutch advisers in the name of the national institutions of Iberia. But with the victory of the noble militia at Villalar (April 21, 1521) and the execution of Padilla, the uprising was pacified.
Spain The golden age of Spain After the suppression of the uprising, Charles V issued a full amnesty. But at the same time, he took advantage of the fear that the Communero movement had caught up with the nobility in order to narrow down the old privileges and liberties. The Cortes turned out to be incapable of resisting the government, the nobility began to look at loyalty as their main duty, and the people patiently submitted to the royal power and its conquest plans. The Cortes unquestioningly began to supply Charles V with money for the war with France, enterprises against the Moors in Africa, and the suppression of the Schmalkaldic League in Germany. For the Habsburgs and for the spread of the Roman Catholic faith, Spanish troops fought on the banks of the Po and Elbe, in Mexico and Peru.
Spain The golden age of Spain Meanwhile, in Spain itself, the industrious Moriscos were oppressed and expelled, thousands of Spaniards were sent to the fires by the Inquisition, every attempt to freedom was suppressed. The industry, trade and agriculture of the Spanish kingdom perished from an arbitrary system of taxes. Not only the nobility, but also peasants and townspeople, sought to go to war and public service. This policy has led most people to view other urban and rural pursuits with contempt. The Church owned large areas of land that came to her at the expense of direct heirs. These lands became empty or turned into pastures, and the amount of cultivated land decreased more and more. Trade passed into the hands of foreigners who benefited both from Spain and from its colonies. When Charles V resigned the crown in 1556, the Austrian possessions of the Habsburgs and Spain again separated from each other. Spain retained in Europe only the Netherlands, Franche-Comte, Milan, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia. The goals of Spanish policy remained the same. Spain became the center of Catholic reactionary politics.
Spain The Golden Age of Spain At the beginning of the 16th century, the Spanish colonial empire was formed (based on colonial conquests in America). The Spanish Empire reached its peak in the 16th century with the expansion of the colonies in South and Central America and the capture of Portugal in 1580.

Spain History of Spain The Spanish kingdom became the owner of extensive colonies. Revenues from the colonization of the New World were directed by the Spanish crown mainly to achieve political goals, which were the restoration of the dominance of the Catholic Church in Europe and the dominance of the Habsburgs in European politics.
Spain History of Spain In parallel with this, in Spain there is a rapid stratification of property of the nobility, the elite of which discovers a taste for luxury. However, the influx of gold from across the ocean did not contribute to the development of the country's economy; numerous Spanish cities remained predominantly political, but not trade and craft centers.
Spain History of Spain Trade and craft were concentrated in the hands of the descendants of the Muslim population, the Moriscos.
Spain History of Spain Ultimately, the financing of wars and the needs of the court and the Spanish nobility took place through a constant increase in the tax burden, confiscation of the property of "unreliable" sections of society, primarily Moriscos, as well as internal and external loans, often forced (damage to coins, "donatives" ). All this worsened the situation of the population and even more suppressed the development of trade and crafts, exacerbating the economic and then political backwardness of Spain from the Protestant countries of Northwestern Europe.

Spain History of Spain Economic decline of Spain
Spain History of Spain From the middle of the 16th century, economic decline began in Spain. Rigid ill-conceived foreign and domestic policy. Incessant wars, exorbitant (and at the same time regressive) taxes inevitably led Spain to a serious economic decline.
Spain History of Spain The son of Charles V, Philip II, decides to move the capital of the kingdom from Toledo to Madrid, which required a lot of resources and meant new era in the political history of Spain. Spanish absolutism began to suppress the relatively broad rights estates, provinces and religious minorities. The Catholic Church and the Inquisition turned out to be closely connected with the state apparatus and acted as its repressive tools. In 1568 there was an uprising of the Moors, which was suppressed two years later after a bloody war. 400,000 Moriscos were evicted from Grenada to other parts of the country.
Spain History of Spain The progressive disintegration of the state apparatus, which served as an instrument of enrichment for the nobility, led to a decline in the quality of internal and external administration and the weakening of the Spanish army. Despite defeating the Turks at Lepanto in 1571, Spain lost control of Tunisia. The policy of terror and violence of the Duke of Alba in the Netherlands led to an uprising of the local population, which the Spanish crown, despite the enormous costs, was unable to suppress. An attempt to return England to the bosom of the Catholic Church ended in the death of the "invincible armada" in 1588. Spanish intervention in religious strife in France only led to a deterioration in relations between the two countries and the strengthening of the French monarchy.

Spain History of Spain Economic decline of Spain
Spain History of Spain After the death of the Spanish King Philip II, the government for a long time is in the hands of various groups of nobility. Under King Philip III (1598-1621), the country was ruled by the Duke of Lerma, as a result of whose policy the once richest state in Europe became bankrupt in 1607. The reason for this was the colossal costs of maintaining the army, part of which was appropriated by senior officials, led by Lerma himself. The kingdom was forced to conclude peace agreements with the Netherlands, France and England. In 1609, the eviction of the Moriscos from Spain began, but the proceeds from the confiscation of their property did not compensate for the subsequent decline in trade and the desolation of many cities, led by Valencia.
Spain History of Spain Under Philip IV, the foreign and domestic policy of the state was led by the greedy and intolerant Duke of Olivares. Spain intervenes in another conflict between Austria and the Protestants of Central Europe, resulting in the Thirty Years' War. The entry into the war of Catholic France deprived the conflict of religious grounds and led to disastrous consequences for Spain. Mass dissatisfaction with high taxes and the arbitrariness of the central authorities caused uprisings in a number of Spanish provinces, in 1640 Catalonia seceded from the crown, followed by the secession of Portugal. At the cost of abandoning centralization and losing Portugal, the government managed to keep Spain from disintegrating, but the former foreign policy ambitions were over. In 1648, Spain recognized the independence of the Netherlands and the equality of Protestants in Germany. According to the Peace of the Pyrenees (1659), Spain ceded Roussillon, Perpignan and part of the Netherlands to France, and Dunkirchen and Jamaica to England.
Spain History of Spain During the reign of the seriously ill King Charles II (1665-1700), Spain turns from a subject of European politics into an object of French territorial claims and loses a number of possessions in Central Europe. From joining Catalonia to France, Spain was saved only by an alliance with recent opponents - England and the Netherlands. The Spanish economy and its state apparatus fell into a state of complete decline. By the end of the reign of King Charles II, many cities and territories were depopulated. Due to the lack of money in many provinces returned to barter. Despite exceptionally high taxes, the once luxurious court of Madrid was unable to pay for its own maintenance, often even a royal meal.

Spain History of Spain Bourbon era
Spain History of Spain With the death in November 1700 of Charles II, who left no heirs, the question of who should be the new king led to the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) between France and Austria with its allies, the main of which was England. France elevated to the Spanish throne Philip V of Bourbon (grandson of Louis XIV), who remained king at the cost of ceding possessions in the Netherlands and Italy to Austria. For many decades, the political life of Spain began to be determined by the interests of its northern neighbor.
Spain History of Spain The accession of the Bourbons to the royal throne of Spain meant the coming to government posts of immigrants from France and Italy, led by Alberoni, which contributed to some improvement in the state apparatus. Following the example of French absolutism, taxation was centralized, and the privileges of the provinces were abolished. Attempts to limit the rights of the Catholic Church, the only structure that enjoyed broad public confidence, failed. In foreign policy, Bourbon Spain followed in the footsteps of France and took part with it in the costly Polish and Austrian wars for the treasury. As a result, Spain received Naples and Parma, which immediately went to the younger lines of the Spanish Bourbons.
Spain History of Spain In the middle of the 18th century, during the reign of Ferdinand VI, a number of important reforms were carried out in the country. Taxes were lowered, the state apparatus was updated, and by the concordat of 1753, the rights of the Catholic clergy, primarily financial, were significantly limited. Further transformations of Carlos III (1759-88) in the spirit of the Enlightenment and his ministers Aranda, Floridablanca and Campomanes led to positive results. In Catalonia and some port cities, the development of manufactory production began, and transatlantic trade with the colonies flourished. However, the development of industry and transport in the country, due to the complete economic decline of the previous time, was possible only by the state and required large loans. At the same time, the finances of the crown were depleted by the need to support and protect the colonies and participation in the wars waged by France.
Spain History of Spain With the accession of Charles IV, weak and incapable of public affairs, the situation in Spain worsened again, and the actual power passed into the hands of the favorite of Queen Godoy. The revolution in France forced Spain to defend the deposed Bourbons. However, the war with revolutionary France was conducted by Spain inactively and led to the French invasion of the north of the country. Economic and political weakness led Spain to sign the extremely disadvantageous Treaty of San Ildefonso (1796), which required Spain to enter the war against England. Despite the obvious lagging behind of the Spanish army and navy and the series of defeats that followed, Spain remained in alliance with Napoleonic France until the remnants of the Spanish fleet were destroyed at Trafalgar (October 20, 1805). Skillfully using the ambition of Godoy, Napoleon, promising him the Portuguese crown, achieved the conclusion of another military alliance between France and Spain.
Spain History of Spain This decision, drawing an exhausted and starving Spain into a new war for foreign interests, caused a popular uprising against Godoy, which led to the abdication of King Charles IV from the throne on March 18, 1808 in favor of his son Hernando. However, the new king Hernando VII was summoned by Napoleon to negotiate with his father, which, under French military and political pressure, ended with the transfer of the crown to Joseph Bonaparte.
Spain History of Spain On May 2, 1808, at the news of Hernando's departure to France, a rebellion broke out in Madrid, which the French managed to suppress only after a bloody struggle. Provincial juntas were formed, the guerrillas armed themselves in the mountains, and all the accomplices of the French were declared enemies of the fatherland. The brave defense of Zaragoza, the removal of Joseph from Madrid, and the general retreat of the French contributed to the enthusiasm of the Spanish. At the same time, Wellington, with an English corps, landed in Portugal and began to oust the French from there. The French nevertheless defeated the Spaniards and on December 4 again entered Madrid.
Spain History of Spain A massive guerrilla war began in Spain, led by the central junta established in September 1808 in Aranjuez. At first, all sections of Spanish society, nobles, clergy and peasants, with the same zeal, sought to expel the invaders, who controlled only large cities and responded to the resistance of the Spaniards with cruel terror. By early 1810, the odds had shifted to the side of the French, as the Spanish elite became more loyal to Joseph. The defenders of the country's independence in Cadiz established a regency, convened the Cortes, and adopted a constitution (March 18, 1812), based on the old Spanish traditions of communal self-government and the principles of democracy. At the same time, organized resistance to the French was provided only by the English troops of Wellington, who on July 22, 1812 defeated the French at Salamanca, but could not keep them in Madrid.
Spain History of Spain The devastating defeat of the Napoleonic army in Russia changed the situation in Spain as well. On May 27, 1813, King Joseph left Madrid with French troops, but was defeated by Wellington at Vittoria on June 21. The French were expelled from Spain, but the question of the further political structure of the country remained open.

Spain History of Spain Restoration of the Bourbons
Spain History of Spain King Hernando VII was released by Napoleon to his homeland, but the Cortes demanded that he swear allegiance to the constitution, which he refused to do. The intervention of the army, going over to the side of the king, General Elio, decided the issue in favor of an absolute monarchy. After the dispersal of the Cortes and entry into Madrid, King Hernando VII promised amnesty and the adoption of a new constitution, but began his reign with repression both against those who supported Joseph Bonaparte and against the most liberal supporters of the Cortes. The army and the clergy became the backbone of the monarchical power of King Hernando VII.
Spain History of Spain Court intrigues and the weak policy of King Hernando VII did not contribute to the restoration of order either in internal or external affairs. During the French occupation of Spain, a war of independence began in its overseas colonies, during which the local elites broke away from the weakened mother country. In Spain itself, discontent was accumulating among the people. As a result, the troops under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Riego (January 1, 1820) proclaimed the constitution of 1812 and set up a provisional government in Isla de León, which issued a proclamation to the people. After going over to the side of the rebellious provinces and Madrid, King Hernando VII swore allegiance to the constitution and convened the Cortes. Their activities were directed mainly against the property privileges of the church - the clergy were taxed, but this did not improve the state of affairs in the country. In view of the absence of the bourgeoisie, the liberal undertakings of the Cortes were perceived negatively in society, especially among the peasantry. The Catholic opposition was gaining strength in the provinces and the country again began to slide into anarchy.
Spain History of Spain According to the results of the elections held on March 1, 1822, the radicals received a majority of votes, after which the forces loyal to the king made an unsuccessful attempt to occupy Madrid. King Hernando VII was forced to seek foreign assistance, and in the autumn of that year the Holy Alliance decided on armed intervention in the affairs of Spain. In April 1824, a French expedition under the command of the Duke of Angouleme (95 thousand soldiers) crossed the border and defeated the Spanish troops. Already on April 11, the Cortes, having captured the king, fled from Madrid, where on May 24 the Duke of Angouleme entered, enthusiastically received by the people and the clergy. Surrounded in Cadiz, the Cortes returned absolute power to the king, but the resistance of the liberals continued for another two months. 45 thousand French soldiers remained in Spain to protect the Bourbons.
Spain History of Spain In 1827, King Hernando VII decisively suppressed the rebellion in Catalonia of supporters of his brother Carlos, and three years later issued the so-called pragmatic sanction, which repealed the Salic law introduced by the Bourbons in 1713, and introduced succession to the throne through the female line. In October 1832, Queen Christina was declared regent for her daughter Isabella in the event of the king's death. Former Minister Zea-Bermudez stood at the head of the administration, announced an amnesty and convened the Cortes, who on June 20, 1833 swore allegiance to Isabella as heir to the throne.
Spain History of Spain Don Carlos, on April 29, 1833, in Portugal proclaimed himself King of Spain, Charles V. He was immediately joined by the Apostolic Party, the Basque provinces and Navarre, whose ancient benefits fueros, including the right to duty-free import of goods, were not recognized by the liberals. The Carlist uprising began in October 1833 with the appointment of a junta and general armament. The Carlists soon occupied Catalonia. The Madrid government of the "Christinos" (named after the regent) could not suppress the rebellion, as it experienced deep divisions. In 1834, a new constitution was adopted, which displeased the radical liberals, who rose in revolt in 1836 and forced Christina to return to the 1812 constitution.
Spain History of Spain However, soon the new president of the council of ministers, Calatrava, convened the Cortes, which subjected the old constitution to revision. During this time, Don Carlos won a number of victories, but disagreements in the ranks of supporters led to his retreat to France. Not wanting to continue the war, the Cortes confirmed the fueros of the Basque provinces. By the end of the summer of 1840, all of Spain was under the control of the Madrid government. General Espartero gained popularity and forced Queen Christina to give up her regency and leave the country. On May 8, 1841, Espartero was elected regent, but two years later he was forced to flee to England after a general rebellion of the army.
Spain History of Spain On November 8, 1843, the conservative majority of the Spanish Cortes declared the 13-year-old Queen Isabella an adult. Changes in the political life of the country soon followed - rival generals and favorites of the young queen succeeded each other at the helm of the state, her mother Christina was returned from exile, a high property qualification was introduced for elections to the Cortes, senators were appointed for life by the crown, and the Catholic religion was declared state.
Spain History of Spain An increasing role in the government of the country was played by the army. In 1854, after another rebellion, General Espartero was again appointed first minister, but did not stay long in this post. His successor O'Donnel suppressed several military uprisings, repelled an attempt by the Carlist pretender Count Montemolin to land in Spain (1860), but also could not stay in power. General Narvaez, who replaced him, at the head of the government, relied on the clergy and persecuted the liberals. Shortly after his death in 1868, a general revolt began in the country and Isabella fled to France.
Spain History of Spain At the head of the provisional government of the Unionists and Progressives stood Serrano, who first of all abolished the Jesuit order and declared freedom of the press and education. Since the convened Spanish Cortes did not agree on the candidacy of a new monarch, Serrano became regent. The authority of Madrid in the northern provinces of Spain was low - Carlists and Republicans became more active there.
Spain History of Spain after long negotiations, the son of the Italian king Amadeus agreed to accept the Spanish crown, but after two years of ongoing anarchy and open struggle of political parties supported by various army officers, he returned to his homeland in Italy. The Cortes proclaimed a republic and elected as president Figveras, a federalist republican who sought to expand the rights of the Spanish provinces and cities in order to secure their loyalty to Madrid. Figveras was soon displaced, the north of the country fell away from Madrid, where the Carlists seized power, and Andalusia, where a group of radical federalists formed their own government. Castelar's troops regained control of Andalusia, but he was soon deposed, and Serrano returned to rule the country, also deposed a year later. This was the end of the history of the first Spanish Republic.
Spain History of Spain Since the Carlists were not popular, the eldest son of Isabella Alfonso was invited to take the vacant throne.

Spain History of Spain The election of Alfonso XII seemed to many, especially officers, the only way out of the chaos. Agreeing with the most influential people, General Martinez Campos on December 29, 1874 in Segunto proclaimed Alfonso XII King of Spain.
Spain History of Spain The reign of the new monarch, King Alfonso XII, was successful - the Carlists were defeated, the Basque lands were deprived of fueros, and the centralized government of the country was restored. Tidying up has begun financial system, rebellions were suppressed in Cuba and in the northern provinces of Spain. Politically, Spain in these years drew closer to Germany and Austria-Hungary, as opposed to France, whose interference in Spanish affairs ceased. During these years, industry and trade began to develop in Spain, the appearance of the country's largest cities changed. Liberal transformations were carried out: universal suffrage and jury trials were introduced.
Spain History of Spain In 1886, after the death of the young king Alfonso XII, his newborn son Alfonso XIII became the new monarch, with his mother as regent, who continued her husband's policy. At the turn of the century, tourism began to develop in Spain. Unrest in the north of the country continued repeatedly, Catalonia and the Basque country were ahead of the agrarian provinces of central and southern Spain in economic development, a layer of intelligentsia was formed in large cities, advocating autonomy and democratic reforms. Since the end of the 19th century, in connection with the growth of autonomist movements in the Spanish provinces, a large-scale polemic about the “essence of Spain” (about the “two Spains”) begins, which continues, with some interruptions, to the present.
Spain History of Spain Defeat in the Spanish-American War and the loss of the last overseas colonies led to an increase in protest moods in Spanish society. During the First World War, Spain was neutral, but its economy was seriously affected.

Spain History of Spain The collapse of the European monarchies and the spread of socialist ideas among the poor urban intelligentsia led to a series of riots. The rebels demanded social and political transformations - the abolition of noble privileges, secularization, and the establishment of republican rule. In the face of growing instability, General Miguel Primo de Rivera rebelled and seized power in Catalonia, soon the king granted him exclusive powers. It was announced the creation of a "military directory", the introduction of martial law, the abolition of the constitution, the dissolution of the Cortes. During the years of Primo de Rivera's rule, Spain achieved victory in Morocco and some internal stability through repressions against anarchists. Government guarantees ensured an influx of investments into the country and an increase in the well-being of the population. However, the general uncertainty of foreign and domestic policy and the growing radicalization of society led to the resignation of Primo de Rivera. The struggle for power began radical Republicans and Falangists, led by his son José Antonio.

Spain History of Spain On April 14, 1931, as a result of mass protests, the Spanish monarchy was overthrown and Spain became a republic again. This did not bring stability to Spanish society, since the traditional contradictions between the conservative-monarchist and the republican wing were supplemented by disagreements between the Republicans themselves, in whose ranks there were various forces from supporters of liberal capitalism to anarchists. The ongoing terror, the inability of the authorities to solve economic problems, the threatening international situation led to the growth of popularity in the army circles of the Spanish Falange, its rebellion in 1936 and the bloody civil war, which ended in 1939 with the capture of Madrid by the rebels and the establishment of the life-long dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
Spain History of Spain The years of Franco's reign are the period of conservative modernization of Spain. The country did not participate in the Second World War, in the post-war period it enjoyed the support of many Western powers. In the 1950s and 60s, the Spanish "economic miracle" occurs, associated with an influx of investment in a previously backward agrarian country, urbanization and the development of industry and tourism. At the same time, political rights and freedoms were limited in the country for a long time, repressions were carried out against separatists and adherents of leftist views. Franco bequeathed after death to restore the monarchy and transfer the throne to Juan Carlos, the grandson of the deposed Alfonso XIII. The will of the dictator was carried out.

Spain History of Spain History of Modern Spain
Spain History of Spain In 1947, on the initiative of Francisco Franco, Spain was again declared a kingdom (however, the throne remained unoccupied under the regency of the "caudillo" Franco himself).
Spain History of Spain In November 1975, after the death of Franco, according to his will, Juan Carlos I was proclaimed king of Spain, the dismantling of the previous regime and new democratic transformations began. In December 1978, a new constitution was adopted and entered into force in Spain.
Spain History of Spain In 1985, Spain joined the European Union (EU). Today the Kingdom of Spain is a highly developed prosperous country with a developed industry and agriculture. The Kingdom of Spain interesting country with friendly people and their bright national traditions. Spain is loved and willingly visited by numerous tourists!

Spain Culture of Spain
Spain Painting and sculpture of Spain
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish artists)Spain Culture of Spain Spain is considered to be an open-air museum. The vastness of this country carefully preserves cultural and historical monuments that are world famous.
Spain Culture of Spain Most famous museum Spain - Prado Museum - located in Madrid. Its vast exposition cannot be seen in one day. The museum was founded by Isabella of Braganza, wife of King Ferdinand VII. The Prado has its own branch, located in Cason del Buen Retiro, which holds unique collections of Spanish paintings and sculptures XIX century, as well as works by English and French painters. The museum itself presents large expositions of Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Flemish and German art.

Spain Culture of Spain The Prado Museum owes its name "Prado" to the Prado de San Jeronimo alley, where it is located, laid back in the Enlightenment. Currently, the funds of the Prado Museum are 6,000 paintings, over 400 sculptures, as well as numerous treasures, including royal and religious collections. During several centuries of its existence, the Prado Museum was patronized by many kings.
Spain Culture of Spain It is believed that the very first collection of the Prado Museum was formed under King Carlos I, known as the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. His heir, King Philip II, became famous not only for his bad temper and despotism, but also for his love of art. It is to him that the museum owes priceless acquisitions of paintings by Flemish masters. Philip was distinguished by a gloomy outlook, it is not surprising that the ruler was a fan of Bosch, an artist known for his bizarre pessimistic fantasy. Initially, Philip bought Bosch's paintings for El Escorial, the hereditary castle of the Spanish kings. And only in the XIX century the paintings were transferred to the Prado Museum. Now here you can see such masterpieces of the Dutch master as the "Garden of Delights" and "Hay Cart". Currently, in the Prado Museum you can enjoy not only paintings and sculptures, but also theatrical performances designed to "revive" famous canvases. The first such staging at the Prado Museum was dedicated to the paintings of the famous Spanish artist Velasquez and enjoyed great success with the public.

Spain Culture of Spain On the territory of the Kingdom of Spain there are many more unique museums and galleries.
Spain Culture of Spain The most famous museums in Spain with world fame:
1. The Picasso Museum and the National Art Museum of Catalonia, located in Barcelona.
2. National Museum of Sculpture in Valladolid.
3. El Greco Museum in Toledo.
4. The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
5. Museum of Spanish Abstract Art in Cuenca.

Spain Culture of Spain Painting of Spain
Spain Spanish painting Artists of Spain (Spanish artists)
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) Frenzy and passion, intense search for meaning in love and death - painting in Spain is unthinkable without this. Both El Greco and Salvador Dali capture their great and unlike country, its people and its history, using new means of expression. If the architecture of Spain was mainly imitative, then the painting is certainly original. It was in Spain that the strangest, most powerful and most terrible paintings in world culture were created: landscapes of Toledo and the apostolic series by El Greco, Goya's "black" etchings, Picasso's "Guernica", Dali's surrealistic visions...
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish artists) As A. Benois accurately noted, “among the Spaniards, the artistic preference for black paint, gloomy penumbra fully corresponded to spiritual experiences, relentless thoughts about the sadness of earthly existence, about the redemptive benefit of suffering, about poetry and the beauty of death.”
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) Spain's painting has left a significant mark in the world history of fine arts. The brilliant flowering of painting begins with the appearance in Spain in 1576 of the painter Domenico Theotokopuli, nicknamed El Greco, since he was of Greek origin and was born on the island of Crete (1541-1614).
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) The artist El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos) studied in Italy with the famous Titian and was invited to Spain by Philip II. El Greco moved to Spain in 1575 and settled in the city of Toledo. El Greco became the founder and head of the Toledo art school and painted mainly on commission from the monasteries and churches of Toledo.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) Unusual, at first sight recognizable style artist El Greco (elongated figures, intensely frantic poses and faces of characters, the predominance of silver-blue colors) was formed precisely in Toledo Today, the artist El Greco and the Spanish city of Toledo are inconceivable without each other. Some of the famous works of El Greco (for example, "The Burial of Count Orgaz") were intended for Toledo temples and never left the city. You can see these unique works of the genius of world art El Greco only there.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Painters) Another master of Spanish painting, Luis Morales (c. 1510-1586), also painted religious scenes full of austerities and suffering. The paintings of Luis Morales can be compared with the best works of the famous El Greco in terms of their impact on the viewer. The whole life of Luis Morales was spent in the city of Badajoz, a small town near the Portuguese border, and his works are kept in the museums of Toledo, Madrid and other cities.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish artists) Many Spanish artists deservedly belong to the category of classics of world painting. Among them are Jose de Ribera, Francisco Zurbaran, B. E. Murillo and D. Velasquez, who already in his youth became the court painter of Philip IV. famous paintings Velasquez's "Las Meninas" or "Ladies of Honor", "Surrender of Breda", "Spinners" and portraits of royal jesters are in the most famous Prado Museum in Madrid.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) The political and social upheavals of the 18th and 19th centuries are reflected in the work of Francisco Goya, for example, his "Shooting of the rebels on the night of May 3, 1808", as well as the series "Disasters of War". The fear-inducing "black paintings" created shortly before the death of the master are not only an expression of his own despair, but also evidence of the political chaos of that time.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish painters) The period of 18-19 centuries is generally characterized as a period of calm in the Spanish art of painting, closed on imitative classicism.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Painters) The revival of the great Spanish painting takes place in the first half of the 20th century. New paths in world art were blazed by Salvador Dali (1904-1989), one of the founders of Cubism, Juan Gris (1887-1921), abstract artist Juan Miro (1893-1983) and Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), the founder and prominent representative of surrealism in painting. , who contributed to the development of several areas of contemporary art.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish artists) Miro and Dali were faithful to Spain until the end of their lives. They left their homes only for the duration of wars and exhibitions. Pablo Picasso received art education in La Coruña, Barcelona and Madrid, and from 1904 he lived and worked in Paris. By order of the Spanish government in 1937, Pablo Picasso painted his "Guernica" - a tragic symbol of the Civil War, during which a small Basque town was destroyed. In the same year, 1937, Juan Miro painted "Help Spain" - a furious and bright, memorable poster, and Salvador Dali - the painting "Premonition of Civil War" with spread and intercepted bodies.
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish artists) The essence of Spanish painting can best be characterized by the expression of Salvador Dali himself, which he cited in his autobiography: “In order to become Dali, you must first of all be a Spaniard, or rather a Catalan, in other words, a creature equipped for delirium and paranoia, able to penetrate them to the very depths, like the fishermen of Cadaqués, who are in the habit of decorating the altar statues with their catch - dying lobsters. The spectacle of agony makes the fishermen with special force sympathize with the passions of the Lord. Indeed, in such a "live" living of religion - the whole soul of Spain, from El Greco to Dali.

Spain Modern Spain Painting of Spain
Spain Spanish painting today Artists of Spain (Spanish artists)
Artists of Spain Sculptors of modern Spain
Spain Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) Today, a new generation of Spanish artists, sculptors, and masters of fine art photography lives and works in the Kingdom of Spain. Contemporary Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) create new original paintings and sculptures.

Poets about Spain Poems about Spain
Spain is a country of great culture!

Spain is a country of sun, sea, mountains, Flamenco, Corida and beautiful people!

"Where nature captivates, as in a fairy tale
Mountains are wonderfully white in the distance.
Rubens, Velasquez worked there,
Picasso and Goya, Dali.
Where bright sun shines
And where marvelous dreams, dreams.
Spain conquers us again,
Everything sparkles in the rays of beauty.
Where the gold of the beaches sparkles
Oranges and palm trees grow
And such a beauty all around!
And Marbella gardens are blooming!
Where fields and vast open spaces,
Where the transparent wave splashes
And crystal clear sea
It's a wonderful country there!
Where there are flamenco songs and dances,
The sound of castanets is heard loudly,
Where are the cheerful faces of the Spaniards,
That country is not more beautiful!

Poets dedicate their poems to Spain Artists of Spain paint wonderful pictures!
Spanish artists Pictures of Spanish artists
Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists) In our gallery you can get acquainted with the works of the best Spanish artists and Spanish sculptors.

Artists of Spain (Spanish Artists)In our gallery you can find and purchase for yourself the best works of Spanish artists and Spanish sculptors.

Spain has full right be called the birthplace of the greatest people of the past and present. This country has given the world many amazing and talented people, including architects, artists, actors, directors, athletes and singers.

Among the artists it is Diego Velasquez, which identifies the pinnacle of Spanish painting of the 18th century, Pablo Ruiz Picasso- the founder of cubism, the famous artist, graphic artist, sculptor and ceramist, Francisco José de Goya- famous painter and engraver, Salvador Dali- world famous artist, graphic artist, painter, sculptor, writer and director.

Among Catalan artists, other than Salvador Dali, the world-famous are Joan Miro and Anthony Tapies.

Salvador Dali(1904-1989, full name - Salvador Domenech Felipe Jacinth Dali and Domenech, Marquis de Dali de Pubol) - one of the most famous representatives of surrealism.

Salvador Dali with his beloved ocelot Babou in 1965.

Salvador Dali was born in Spain on May 11, 1904 in the city of Figueres (province of Girona, northern Catalonia) in the family of a wealthy notary. By nationality, he was a Catalan, he perceived himself in this capacity and insisted on this feature of his. Dali was an unusually outrageous person.

Salvador was the third child in the family (he also had a brother and sister). His older brother died of meningitis before he was 2 years old, and the parents named the baby, born 9 months after his death, Salvador - "Savior". Five-year-old Dali was told by his mother that he was the reincarnation of his brother.

The future artist grew up very capricious and arrogant, he liked to manipulate people with the help of public scenes and tantrums.

His talent for fine arts manifested itself already in childhood. At the age of 6 he wrote interesting pictures, at the age of 14 he had his first exhibition in Figueres. Dali got the opportunity to improve his skills at the municipal art school.

In 1914-1918, Salvador studied in Figueres at the Academy of the Order of the Marists. Education at the monastic school did not go smoothly, and at the age of 15, an eccentric student was expelled for indecent behavior.

In 1916, a landmark event took place for Dali - a trip to Cadaqués with the family of Ramon Pisho. It was there that he became acquainted with modern painting. In his hometown, the genius studied with Joan Nunez.

At the age of 17 - in 1921 - future artist graduated from the institute (as the secondary school was called in Catalonia).

After that, in 1921, Salvador went to Madrid and entered the Academy there fine arts. He didn't like teaching. He believed that he himself could teach his teachers the art of drawing. He stayed in Madrid only because he was interested in communicating with his comrades.

At the School of Fine Arts at the Academy, he became close to the literary and artistic circles of Madrid. in particular with Luis Buñuel and Federico Garcia Lorca. Although Dali did not stay at the Academy for a long time (he was expelled for some too bold ideas and misbehavior in 1924), this did not prevent the artist from organizing the first small exhibition of his works and quickly becoming famous in Spain.

Dali returned to the Academy again a year later, but he was expelled again in 1926 (Salvador was 22 years old) and already without the right to reinstatement. The incident that led to this situation was simply amazing: at one of the exams, the professor of the Academy asked to name 3 of the greatest artists in the world. Dali replied that he would not answer such questions, because not a single teacher from the Academy had the right to be his judge.

Dali proclaimed complete freedom from any aesthetic or moral coercion and went to the very limits in any creative experiment. He did not hesitate to implement the most provocative ideas and wrote everything from love and the sexual revolution, history and technology to society and religion.

One of Dali's famous paintings is The Persistence of Memory.

Picture "Dream".

Painting "The Great Masturbator".

Painting "Phantom of Sexual Attractiveness".

Painting "Galatea with spheres".

In 1929, Dali found his muse. She became Gala Eluard. It is she who is depicted in many paintings by Salvador Dali. At the age of 30 - in 1934 - Dali unofficially marries Gala, who was older than the artist for 10 years (the real name of the woman is Elena Dyakonova, was born in Kazan. Because of her passion for Dali, she left her husband, a French poet. Fields of Eluard and 16-year-old daughter Cecile). However, the religious ceremony of Dali's marriage to Gala took place only 24 years later - in 1958.

Salvador and Gala lived in a small village Cadaqués(province of Girona) in the port of Ligat - there was Dali's only own dwelling, which he, already married, after returning from Paris, acquired for himself and his wife Gala. At that time it was a small hut where local fishermen kept their gear, with a total area of ​​22 square meters. meters.

Over time, Dali's house in Cadaques, over the 40 years of the Impressionist family living in it, became larger and more beautiful: the artist acquired neighboring shacks, restored them and combined them into a single building. It was in this way that the workshop appeared in the bay, where the great impressionist created most of his masterpieces.

House Museum of Salvador Dali in the village of Cadaqués.

Spain boasts of brilliant artists. But if they were not, no one would be surprised.

After all, this country has almost always been conservative. And where there is excessive moral inertia, and even more so the Inquisition, there innovators do not survive or simply are not born.

Therefore, I was always amazed at how these artists managed to present their innovations to the world!

How El Greco was 300 years ahead of his time by working in the style of expressionism. And Velasquez 200 years earlier and began to create in!

I propose to take a closer look at these talented and brilliant Spaniards.

1. El Greco (1541-1614)

El Greco. Portrait of an old man (presumably a self-portrait). 1600 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

The Greek Spaniard or Spanish Greek Dominicos Theotokopoulos almost single-handedly pulled off the Spanish Renaissance. If the Italians had a whole galaxy of masters. Then the Spaniards can exhale: they also had a renaissance. Thanks to El Greco.

Creating mostly religious paintings, he boldly destroyed the proposed canons.

It is enough to look at the canvas "Removing the clothes from Christ."

El Greco. Taking off the clothes of Christ (Espolio). 1579 Cathedral of Toledo in Spain

Instead of a few figures - a whole crowd. Instead of perspective, there is an impenetrable wall of characters.

Instead of easy-to-read emotions, complex feelings. Take a look at the uncomprehending look of St. Mary. She didn't seem to realize what was about to happen. Psychologists would call this a defensive reaction to extreme stress.

But El Greco is not enough. A few years later, he created an even more amazing work. Not a picture, but the universe. From the smallest embroidered stories in the attire of saints. Until a clear division of the world into two halves: worldly and heavenly.

This is me, of course, about the "Burial of Count Orgaz."

El Greco. Burial of Count Orgaz. 1588 Church of San Tome in Toledo

And we immediately notice elongated bodies. Rather, El Greco spied on such a distortion of forms from the mannerists. At least the same Parmigianino. Perhaps the experience of creating Byzantine icons was also superimposed (after all, he was from Greek Crete).

Over time, he exaggerated this feature even more. This is clearly seen in his later work Laocoön.

El Greco. Laocoon. 1614 Washington National Gallery

The artist intuitively understood that through a change in form, his characters can tell us about their feelings and experiences. After all, they are motionless.

Did you notice that the cityscape in the background is also very unusual? He is closer to Van Gogh and Cezanne than to the aesthetics of the Renaissance.

No one before El Greco in Western painting so distorted forms. And after him, the artists strove for realistic proportions. That is why they considered him an eccentric and clumsy for 300 years.

He was forgotten and not remembered. And only at the end of the 19th century it dawned on everyone how much he was ahead of his time. Now a newfound El Greco in the history of art forever.

2. Diego Velazquez (1599-1660)

Diego Velazquez. Meninas (detail with self-portrait). 1656

Velasquez's innovations amaze to the core. Not only did he live in a very conservative society, he was also a court painter!

And this means that he had picky customers who do not care about innovation. If only it was "beautiful and similar." In such conditions, any innovation easily languishes.

But not Velasquez. By some miracle, the customers forgave him everything, apparently intuitively understanding that thanks to this artist they would be remembered even in 500 years. And they were not wrong.

However, even to Velasquez, the cruel Inquisition was not going to make concessions in everything. Painting nudes was considered a serious crime.

Yet Velazquez managed to create a masterpiece with a beautiful naked body even in such conditions.

Diego Velazquez. Venus in front of a mirror. 1647-1651 National Gallery London

True, he wrote his beautiful "Venus" while in Italy. Then he secretly brought it to Spain and handed it over to an influential minister for safekeeping. And the Inquisition did not just break into his house in search of nudity.

Already on this "Venus" it is clear why Velasquez stood out so much. With its vitality. After all, there is no doubt that this is a real woman. Beautiful but real. Her posture is so relaxed and natural.

Presumably, this is the Italian beloved of the artist. He prudently secured her by turning his back to us. And his face was reflected in a cloudy mirror.

In the same place in Italy, Velasquez painted the legendary portrait of Pope Innocent X.

Diego Velazquez. Portrait of Pope Innocent X. 1650. Doria Pamphili Gallery, Rome

Velasquez managed to very accurately convey the tough and treacherous nature of the Pope.

It would seem that the 75-year-old pontiff appears to us in the most majestic form. But the prickly strong-willed look, compressed lips and the poisonous red color of the mantle speak of the true values ​​\u200b\u200bof this person.

How did Velasquez again manage to achieve vitality even in a formal portrait?

The fact is that Velasquez was lucky enough to meet the Pope, passing through one of the galleries of the Vatican. He walked alone and his face did not have the usual “mask” for tricks. It was then that Velasquez understood his character and transferred his impression to the canvas.

Returning from Italy, Velazquez continued to perform the duties of a courtier.

But do not think that Velasquez was unhappy. He himself aspired to become the king's artist, as he was vain. Therefore, he resignedly painted countless portraits of aristocrats, and did not even disdain to take out the chamber pot for His Highness.

But among these works of the same type there is an extremely unusual portrait of the royal family: Las Meninas.

Diego Velazquez. Meninas. 1656

This picture has a very unusual idea.

Velazquez decided to show us what his world looks like on the other side of the canvas. We see what is happening through the eyes of those who ... pose for the artist.

We see how the artist is working on a portrait of the King and his wife. And they stand in our place (or we stand in their place) and look at the artist. And then the princess, their daughter, came into the workshop with her retinue to visit her parents.

Something like "random frames". When the artist preferred to write his characters not on stage, but behind the scenes.

We notice one more feature in "Menin". These are fast, vibrating strokes. At the same time, the artist does not distinguish between the background and the characters. Everything is woven as if from a single matter. This is exactly how the Impressionists will write 200 years later, the same and.

Yes, skill knows no bounds... not afraid of either the Inquisition or inert morality. Imagine what Velázquez could have done had he lived in a freer era! In , for example.

3. José de Ribera (1591-1652)

Giuseppe MacPherson. Portrait of José de Ribera. 1633-1656 Royal Collection, London

"Little Spaniard" (as he was also called) Jose de Ribera moved to Italy at the age of 14. But his painting has always remained Spanish, not much like Italian academicism.

Here, in Italy, he was struck by painting. And, of course, I could not resist not to work in the tenebroso technique. This is when the main character is in the dark and only a dim light is snatched out of it.

Very much this technique of Caravaggio suited the general style of Ribera. He simply adored action-packed biblical and mythological stories. And it is tenebroso that brings this action to a climax.

Its protagonists are those who accept suffering for a higher purpose. Like Prometheus, for example.

José de Ribera. Prometheus. 1830 Private collection

From the naturalism of Ribera takes aback. And it's not just a very accurate transfer of a real body. And also in how the wounds look and how emotionally the hero reacts to his suffering.

The fact is that Ribera visited prisons and witnessed the torture of convicts with his own eyes. Here is one from the 17th century. Only Degas went to the theater to spy on ballerinas. And this Spaniard went around the places of detention and looked for plausibility for his martyrs.

After some time, the master begins to move away from caravaggism. However, fighters for high ideals are still its main characters. And one of these masterpieces is the Martyrdom of Saint Philip.

José de Ribera. Martyrdom of Saint Philip. 1639 Prado Museum, Madrid

We see the saint a few seconds before he is put on the rack. There is no the most terrible in the physical plan. But there is an opportunity to empathize with the impending inevitable end and admire the humility of a saint.

Ribera enhances the drama by depicting the martyr strictly diagonally. His figure, lean and long, barely fits into the picture. As if Gulliver (in spiritual terms) was captured to be torn to pieces by small, miserable people.

Ribera also became famous for painting people with anomalies. Limps, dwarfs and women with beards are also frequent heroes of his paintings.

But do not think that this was his morbid desire. Such were the manners at court. The aristocracy liked to keep such people as jesters and, in fact, slaves. And the artists painted them again for the amusement of the guests.

One of the most famous such works of the master is “Magdalena with her husband and son”.

José de Ribera. Magdalena Ventura with her husband and son (The Bearded Woman). 1631 Taber Hospital in Toledo, Spain

A woman at the age of 37 experienced a hormonal failure, as a result, her beard began to grow. The customer demanded to draw her with a baby in her arms. Although by that time she was already over 50. Her sons had grown up a long time ago, and her breasts were clearly not so magnificent. But the baby and the breast made this mistake of nature more eloquent.

But unlike customers, Ribera only sympathized with such people. And the eyes of the unfortunate woman express the true attitude of the artist towards her.

4. Francisco Goya (1746-1828)

Vicente Lopez Portana. Portrait of Francisco Goya. 1819 Prado Museum, Madrid.

Goya's mother told her son, “You were not born a rose, but an onion. You will die with a bow." This is it about the obstinate and pugnacious nature of the son. Yes, Francisco Goya was a very temperamental person.

The stories about how he left his signature on ... the dome of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome, and also kidnapped and seduced a nun from the monastery - they say a lot.

He received a superficial education and wrote with errors all his life. But this did not prevent him from becoming the greatest artist. He was able to achieve the almost impossible.

He painted a naked woman, but did not fall into the clutches of the Inquisition. However, Velazquez did this trick first.

He managed to remain a court painter almost all his life. But at the same time he actively expressed his civic position in his works. And the monarchs did not seem to notice anything.

He seduced one beautiful aristocrat after another, despite his poor health and deafness.

This is one of the most daring artists, whose brush is like a sword, and the colors are bold words. However, Goya also participated in real duels and verbal skirmishes more than once.

Let's take a look at his most outstanding work.

Thinking of Goya, of course, we immediately remember his Nude Maja.

Francisco Goya. Maha naked. 1795-1800 Prado Museum, Madrid.

For the first time, the nude appeared not like Velasquez, stealthily and stealthily, but in all its shameless splendor. No cuteness, but only sensuality and outright eroticism.

Goya worked at court for a long time, however, he did not tolerate fawning and lies. Just look at his canvas.

Francisco Goya. Portrait of the family of Charles IV. 1800 Prado Museum, Madrid.

How much irony in relation to the monarchs! In the center, the author depicts Queen Mary, clearly hinting that she, and not Charles, rules the country.

It is amazing how the artist was allowed to create such a contrast: between the attire of the royal couple and their faces! The luxury and brilliance of gold cannot hide the mediocrity of the heroes and the frank "simplicity" of the king.

And of course, you can not pass by his work "Execution on May 3". This is a picture of the heroism of ordinary Spaniards during the occupation by Napoleonic troops.

Francisco Goya. May 3, 1808 in Madrid. 1814 Prado, Madrid

In the moment before the salvo, each of the doomed rebels looks different: someone humbly waits, someone prays, someone cries.

But one Spaniard in a white shirt is ready to face death without fear. The artist put him on his knees. And if you imagine that he will get up, it will turn out to be just a giant. And the guns of the French soldiers seem to be directed only at him.

So Goya for the first time showed the feat and courage of a simple person. Before him, far from common people were portrayed as heroes. This is a completely new look at historical painting.

Undoubtedly, Goya still amazes with his courage, eccentricity and humanism. It was a master with a special attitude.

He is an artist of special power for us, as a spiritual leader. Who will not flatter those in power, will not ignore the heroism of the common man, and will not turn away from beauty, even if it is considered sinful and vile.

5. Pablo Picasso (1881 - 1973)

Pablo Picasso. Self-portrait. 1907 National Gallery of Prague

Picasso is considered the most famous artist in the world. True, most know him as a cubist. Although in the style of pure cubism, he did not work for long. He was both an expressionist and a surrealist. It was a chameleon artist.

It doesn't really matter what style he worked in. Its main feature is numerous experiments with the form. He crumpled the form, stretched it, squeezed it, crumbled it and showed it from all sides.

He began with careful experiments, imitating El Greco. It was from him that he peeped the deformed forms. And just like El Greco, he pulled out his figures during his.

Pablo Picasso. Two sisters. 1902 Hermitage

Cezanne was looking for opportunities to express the essence of a thing in color, form and perspective. Picasso, with the help of cubism, brought this idea to the end.

With the help of different angles of view and elements of the subject, he tried to launch an associative array in the viewer: to show the essence of the thing, and not its image.

Pablo Picasso. Composition with cut pear. 1914 Hermitage

In the picture "Pear" we do NOT see the image of a pear. But we see mottled bits of canvas: we have a memory of a similar texture of pear pulp. Delicate beige and brown are also associated with pear. Not to mention the characteristic arc.

All these fragments of the image of a pear evoke in us not only a visual memory of a pear, but also about its taste and how it feels to the touch.

It is this concept of expressing the essence, and not the image, that is leading in Picasso's painting. Even when he moves away from the typical "cubes" and writes in a style close to surrealism.

These include portraits of Marie-Therese Walter.

Pablo Picasso. Dream. 1932 Private collection

During an exhausting and crumbling marriage to Khokhlova, Picasso accidentally met the young Marie-Therese.

He always depicted her as colorful and wavy, with elements of cubism. After all, her face is shown simultaneously from two points of view: both in profile and full face.

Thus, he turns inside out all her sensuality and tenderness, extreme femininity. And this despite the fact that there was something masculine in her figure. But after all, the forms are to emphasize the essence, and not to depict the outer shell of the model.

Picasso is a great experimenter. His main test subject is the form. She underwent changes in huge number artist's works. After all, he was also one of the most prolific artists in the world. As he himself said about himself: "Give me a museum, and I will fill it with my paintings."

Five great painters, five Spaniards are among the creators of modern art. Despite the fact that most of them lived 200-300 years ago.

Modern artists draw inspiration from their work. They provide an impetus that still fuels world culture.

It remains for us to be grateful, to preserve their legacy and, of course, to admire.

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Spanish artists are known to all art lovers. Their paintings are in many museums around the world. Spain has given us a large number of people surprising with their talent in all areas of art. We will talk about several outstanding painters, because it is difficult to compile a complete list.

Prado Museum

The collection of this royal collection is surprising in that it contains almost all the outstanding Spanish artists, and there are no foreign ones. This can be explained by the fact that, from the 16th century to the 19th century, they all served at the court of kings. Another very large customer was the Church. Therefore, in the paintings we often see religious subjects. Private orders were quite rare, and painting was the property of a narrow circle of its connoisseurs. Let us now turn our attention to some outstanding representatives of this school.

Renaissance era

Great, brilliant painters gave us the time of the late Renaissance. The Spanish Renaissance artists are undoubtedly El Greco, de Ribera, Zurbaran and Velasquez. We will focus on a brief biography of the latter. He was born in Seville and quickly became a well-known painter in his native land. He went to Madrid, but he did not manage to get to the royal court right away. Pretty soon he became a court painter.

This happened in 1623, when the artist painted a portrait of King Philip IV. To improve, Diego Velasquez went to Italy, visited Genoa, Milan, Venice and Rome. After that, his palette sparkled with bright colors. Only after 1630 his work can be called mature. He paints a lot of portraits of jesters and dwarfs, penetrating deeply into the innermost inner world people offended by nature. After the second trip to Italy, from 1651, the late, most perfect period of this master begins. He uses new techniques, and portraits of infants, ladies of the royal family, a deeply psychological portrait of Philip IV, as well as large-scale paintings of Spinners and Las Meninas come out from under his brush. He died in 1660. He is 61 years old. D. Velazquez provided a huge impact on the development of world painting, and many, not only Spanish, artists studied at his works.

Painter, draftsman and engraver

We begin a brief conversation about F. Goya. His work defies any one definition. It is free from conventions, filled with passion, unbridled fantasy. We will present the canvas, which is made in a light elegant rococo style.

For us, this is an unusual Goya. The picture is called "Autumn. Vintage". She captivates with her cheerfulness. This work is entirely decorative and pleasing to the eye. In general, Spanish artists learned from the painter a different, more satirical depiction of life.

Other genre

Still lifes were painted in imitation of the Flemings in XVII century when the Spaniards discovered them. The background of these paintings is usually dark. The paintings of Spanish artists are characterized by carefully calibrated composition, fine drawing of each flower and petal, bug or butterfly. They also depict moments of food preparation. The works are so believable that, looking at them, you want to eat heartily.

Shown here is a still life by Luis Meléndez. He was an outstanding master who knew how to show mouth-watering food. All products are prepared. We are only waiting for a chef who will turn them into delicious dishes.

famous spanish artist

In the 20th century it is difficult to choose who is more known to the general public - P. Picasso or S. Dali. Picasso created over twenty thousand works. His pre-war canvases are usually divided into four periods, when he experimented with color and form. Later, he felt that painting had a greater range of influence on the viewer, and this was reflected in his canvases. His works are most expensively valued at auctions. The creator himself said that he wanted to live like a poor person, but at the same time be rich. The eccentric S. Dali amazed his contemporaries not only with his mustache and fantastic canvases that came to him from dreams, but also with antics that actively worked for advertising.

Commercial activity, thanks to his wife, was very successful, and only very wealthy people could buy his work.

Not all of the listed Spanish painters represent their homeland here. Modern Spanish artists work mostly in a realistic or romantic style. There is a place for fantasy, but it occupies a small part. Their paintings include landscapes, portraits, animalistic works, and still lifes.

Published: January 4, 2015

Spanish art

Spanish art is the art of Spain. Being an important part of Western art (especially influenced by Italy and France, especially during the Baroque and Classicism periods) and giving the world many famous and influential artists (including Velasquez, Goya and Picasso), Spanish art often possessed distinctive features and was judged to some extent separately from other European schools. These differences can be partly explained by Spain's Moorish heritage (especially in Andalusia) and the political and cultural climate in Spain during the Counter-Reformation and subsequent eclipse of Spanish power under the Bourbon dynasty.

El Greco (1541-1614), The Unveiling of Christ (El Espolio) (1577-1579), is one of the most famous altar paintings by El Greco, whose altar paintings are renowned for their dynamic compositions and sense of movement.

The early Iberians left a lot behind; northwestern Spain shares with southwestern France an area where the richest finds of Upper Paleolithic art in Europe are found in the Altamira cave and other sites where rock paintings were found created between 35,000 and 11,000 BC. e. The rock art of the Iberian Mediterranean Basin (as the term is defined by UNESCO) is the art of eastern Spain, probably around 8000-3500 BC, showing animals and hunting scenes, often created with a growing sense of the whole composition of a large-scale scene. Portugal, in particular, is rich in megalithic monuments, including Almendres Cromlech (Cromlech Almendres), and Iberian schematic art is stone sculpture, petroglyphs and rock paintings from the early Iron Ages, which are found throughout the Iberian Peninsula, with geometric patterns, and also with more frequent use of simple pictogram-like human figures, which is typical of similar art forms from other regions. The Casco de Leiro, a Late Bronze Age gold ritual helmet may be related to other gold headdresses found in Germany, and the Vilhena Treasure is a huge hoard of geometrically designed vessels and ornaments, possibly from the 10th century BC, including 10 kilograms of gold. .

Iberian sculpture before the Roman conquest reflects contact with other advanced ancient cultures that established small coastal colonies, including the Greeks and Phoenicians; the Phoenician settlement of Sa Caleta in Ibiza has been preserved for excavation, most of it now located under major cities, and Dama Guardamar was found during excavations at another Phoenician site. Lady from Elche (probably 4th century BC) possibly representing Tanit, but also showing Hellenistic influence, as does the Sphinx from Agosta and Bicha from Balasote from the 6th century. The bulls of Guisando are the most impressive example of verraco - large Celtic-Iberian animal sculptures in stone; Bull from Osun, 5th century BC is the most developed single example. A few decorated falcata, characteristic curved Iberian swords, have survived, as well as many bronze statuettes used as votive images. The Romans gradually conquered all of Iberia between 218 BC. and 19 AD

As elsewhere in the Western Empire, Roman occupation largely destroyed local styles; Iberia was an important agricultural area for the Romans and the elite acquired vast estates producing wheat, olives and wine, some later emperors came from the Iberian provinces; during the excavations, many huge villas were discovered. The aqueduct of Segovia, the Roman walls of the city of Lugo, the bridge of Alcantara (104-106 AD) and the lighthouse of the Tower of Hercules are well-preserved large monuments, impressive examples of Roman engineering, if not always art. Roman temples are quite well preserved in Vic, Évora (now in Portugal) and Alcantara, and their elements are also preserved in Barcelona and Córdoba. There must have been local workshops producing high quality mosaics, although much of the best freestanding sculpture was probably imported. The Theodosius I Missorium is a famous silver dish from late antiquity that was found in Spain, but probably created in Constantinople.

Bison from Altamira Cave (between ca. 16 500 and 14 000 years ago)

Treasure of Villena, probablyXin BC

Early Middle Ages

Fragment of the Rekkesvinta votive crown from the Guarrazar treasure, now in Madrid. The hanging letters read [R]ECCESVINTUS REX OFFERET (King R. donates it). Public domain.

The Christian Visigoths ruled Iberia after the fall of the Roman Empire and the rich treasure of Guarrazar of the 7th century was probably kept to avoid looting during the Muslim conquest of Spain, it is now a unique surviving example of Christian votive crowns in gold; despite the Spanish style, this form was probably then used by the elite throughout Europe. Other examples of Visigothic art are metalwork, mostly jewelry and buckles, and stone reliefs, preserved to give an idea of ​​the culture of these originally barbarian Germanic peoples, who kept themselves very largely separate from their Iberian contemporaries, and whose rule collapsed, when the Muslims arrived in 711.

The Jeweled Victory Cross, the La Cava Bible, and the Agate Casket of Oviedo are surviving examples of the rich pre-Romanesque culture of the 9th-10th century Asturias region of northwestern Spain, which remained under Christian rule; the banqueting house of Santa Maria del Naranco overlooking Oviedo, completed in 848 and later converted into a church, is the only surviving example of architecture from that period in Europe. The Vigilan Codex, completed in 976 in the Rioja region, shows a complex mixture of several styles.

Arabesque panel from Madina al-Zahra, robven - http://www.flickr.com/photos/robven/3048203629/

The magnificent palace-city of Madina al-Zahra near Cordoba was built in the 10th century for the Umayyad dynasty of the caliphs of Cordoba, it was supposed to become the capital of Islamic Andazusia, excavations are still ongoing. A considerable amount of very intricate decoration of the main buildings survives, demonstrating the great wealth of this very centralized state. The palace at Aljaferia belongs to a later period, after Islamic Spain was divided into several kingdoms. Notable examples of Islamic architecture and its decorations are the mosque-temples of Córdoba, whose Islamic elements were added between 784 and 987, and the palaces of the Alhambra and Generalife in Granada, dating from the final period of Muslim Spain.

The Leaning Griffin is the largest known Islamic sculpture of an animal and the most spectacular sculpture from the Al-Andalus group, many of these sculptures were created to support fountain pools (for example, in the Alhambra), or in rare cases for smoking incense and other similar purposes.

The Christian population of Muslim Spain developed a style of Mozarabic art, the most famous surviving examples of which are several illustrated manuscripts, several commentaries on the Book of Revelations of the Asturian Saint Beatus of Lieban (c. 730 - c. style to fully demonstrate its qualities in the manuscripts of the X century. For example, these are the manuscripts of Beatus Morgan, probably the first, Beatus Gerona, decorated by a woman artist Ende (Ende), Escorial Beatus and Beatus St. Sever, which was actually created at some distance from the Muslim rule in France. Mozarabic elements, including a background of brightly colored stripes, can be seen in some of the later Romanesque frescoes.

Hispano-Moorish pottery appeared in the south, apparently mainly for local markets, but Muslim potters later began migrating to the Valencia region, where Christian overlords sold their sumptuous luster pottery to elites throughout Christian Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries, including including the popes and the English royal court. Spanish Islamic ivory carvings and textiles were also of very high quality; modern enterprises, producing tiles and carpets in the peninsula, owe their origins mainly to the Islamic kingdoms.

After the expulsion of Islamic rulers during the Reconquista, a significant part of the Muslim population and Christian craftsmen trained in the Muslim style remained in Spain. Mudéjar is the term for the works of art and architecture created by these people. Mudéjar architecture objects in Aragon are recognized as objects world heritage UNESCO. The 14th-century Maiden Patio built for Pedro of Castile in the Alcazar of Seville is another a prime example. The style can also blend harmoniously with Christian European Medieval and Renaissance styles, for example, in elaborate wood and stucco ceilings, and Mudéjar works often continued to be created for several centuries after an area had come under Christian rule. .

Al-Maghira ivory box, Madina al-Zahra, 968, Public domain

Pisa Griffin, photo: Memorato,

Page from Beatus Morgan

Spanish-Moorish jug with the coat of arms of the Medici, 1450-1460

Painting

Romanesque style in painting in Spain

Apse of the Church of Santa Maria in Taulle, Catalan fresco in Lleida, early 12th century, photo: photo: Ecemaml, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

In Spain, the art of the Romanesque period represented a smooth transition from the previous Pre-Romanesque and Mozarabic styles. Many of the best preserved Romanesque church frescoes that were being discovered throughout Europe at the time come from Catalonia. Notable examples located in the temples of the Val-de-Boie region; many of them were discovered only in the 20th century. Some of the best examples have been moved to museums, notably the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona, ​​where the famous central apse of Sant Clement in Taulla and frescoes from Sigena are located. The finest examples of Castilian Romanesque frescoes are those at San Isidoro in León, the paintings from San Baudélio de Berlanga, now mostly housed in various museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the frescoes from Santa Cruz de - Maderuelo in Segovia. There are also several antependiums (veil or partition in front of the altar) with wood painting and other early panels.

Gothic

The Gothic art of Spain gradually developed from the Romanesque styles that preceded it, guided by external models first from France and then from Italy. Another distinctive aspect was the inclusion of elements of the Mudéjar style. Eventually, the Italian influence, from which Byzantine stylistic devices and iconography were borrowed, completely supplanted the original Franco-Gothic style. Catalonia was still a prosperous region, where many fine altars were made; however, the region declined after the emphasis on trade shifted to the Atlantic following the opening of the American colonies, which partly explains the presence of many medieval vestiges there, as there was no money to refurbish Renaissance and Baroque churches.

Early Renaissance

Due to important economic and political ties between Spain and Flanders from the middle of the 15th century, the early Renaissance in Spain was heavily influenced by Dutch painting, which led to the separation of the Spanish-Flemish school of painters. The leading representatives were Fernando Gallego, Bartolome Bermejo, Pedro Berruguete and Juan de Flandes.

Renaissance and Mannerism

In general, the Renaissance and subsequent Mannerist style is difficult to classify in Spain due to the combination of Flemish and Italian influences and regional differences.

main center of influence Italian Renaissance that penetrated into Spain was Valencia due to its proximity and close ties with Italy. This influence was felt through the importation of works of art, including four Piombo paintings and reproductions by Raphael, as well as the relocation of the Italian Renaissance artist Paolo de San Leocadio and Spanish artists who spent some time working and studying in Italy. These were, for example, Fernando Yáñez de Almedina (1475-1540) and Fernando Llanos, who demonstrated the traits of Leonardo in his works, in particular the subtle, melancholy expressions and the softness of the execution in the modeling of the features.

"Pieta" by Luis de Morales

Elsewhere in Spain, the influence of the Italian Renaissance was less pronounced, with a relatively superficial use of methods that combined with the preceding ones. Flemish methods works and possessed Mannerist features, due to the relatively late appearance of examples from Italy, since Italian art was already largely Mannerist. Apart from the technical aspects, the themes and spirit of the Renaissance were transformed to suit the Spanish culture and religious environment. Consequently, very few classical themes or female nudes were depicted, and the works often displayed a sense of pious devotion and religious power, attributes that would remain dominant in much of Counter-Reformation art in Spain throughout the 17th century and beyond.

Famous Mannerist artists were Vicente Juan Masip (1475-1550) and his son Juan de Juanes (1510-1579), the artist and architect Pedro Machuca (1490-1550) and Juan Correa de Vivar (1510-1566) . However, the most popular Spanish painter of the early 17th century was Luis de Morales (1510?-1586), called "Divine" by his contemporaries because of the religious richness of his paintings. From the Renaissance, he also often borrowed soft modeling and simple compositions, but combined them with the precision of detail characteristic of the Flemish style. He portrayed many biblical characters, including the Virgin Mary with the Child.

Golden Age of Spanish Painting

The Spanish Golden Age, the period of Spanish political dominance and subsequent decline, saw a massive development of the arts in Spain. This period is believed to have begun at some point after 1492 and ended either with the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, although in art its beginning is delayed until or immediately before the reign of Philip III (1598-1621), and the end is also attributed to 1660 or later. In this way, given style is part of the wider Baroque period in art. Here there is a significant influence of the great masters of the Baroque, such as Caravaggio and later Rubens, the originality of the art of the time also included influences that modified the typical Baroque characteristics. Among these were the influence of contemporary Dutch Golden Age painting, as well as the native Spanish tradition, which gave much of the art of this period an interest in naturalism, and an avoidance of the grandiosity of much Baroque art. Significant early representatives of this period are Juan Bautista Maino (1569-1649), who brought the new naturalistic style to Spain, Francisco Ribalta (1565-1628) and Sánchez Cotán (1560-1627), an influential still life painter.

El Greco (1541-1614) was one of the most individualistic artists of the period, he developed a very mannerist style based on his origins in the post-Byzantine Cretan school, in contrast to the naturalistic approaches then prevalent in Seville, Madrid and other regions of Spain. Many of his works reflect the silvery grays and bright colors of Venetian artists such as Titian, but they are combined with strange elongation of the figures, unusual lighting, the elimination of perspective space, and the filling of the surface with a very explicit and expressive pictorial manner.

Working mainly in Italy, especially in Naples, José de Ribera (1591-1652) considered himself a Spaniard, and his style was sometimes used as an example of highly counter-reformation Spanish art. His work was highly influential (largely through the circulation of his drawings and prints throughout Europe) and showed significant development over the course of his career.

As the gateway to the New World, Seville became the cultural center of Spain in the 16th century. It attracted artists from all over Europe seeking commissions from across the growing empire, as well as from the numerous religious houses of the wealthy city. Starting with a strong Flemish tradition of detailed and smooth brushwork, as shown in the work of Francisco Pacheco (1564-1642), a naturalistic approach developed over time, influenced by Juan de Roelas (c. 1560-1624) and Francisco Herrera the Elder (1590). -1654). This more naturalistic approach, influenced by Caravaggio, became predominant in Seville and formed the training background for the three Golden Age masters: Cano, Zurbarán and Velázquez.

Francisco Zurbarana (1598-1664) known for his decisive and realistic use of chiaroscuro in his religious paintings and still lifes. Although it seemed that he was limited in his development, and complex scenes were difficult for him. Zurbaran's magnificent ability to evoke religious feelings brought him many commissions in the conservative Counter-Reformation Seville.

Sharing the influence of the same master painter - Francisco Pacheco- as well as Velasquez, Alonso Cano (16601-1667) also actively worked with sculpture and architecture. His style moved from the naturalism of his early period to a more subtle, idealistic approach, bringing out Venetian influences and influences. Van Dyck.

Velazquez

Diego Velasquez "Las Meninas", 1656-1657

Diego Velasquez (1599-1660) was the leading painter at the court of King Philip IV. In addition to numerous images of scenes of historical and cultural significance, he created dozens of portraits of the Spanish royal family, other famous European figures and commoners. In many portraits, Velasquez gave worthy qualities to such unattractive members of society as beggars and dwarfs. In contrast to these portraits, Velázquez's gods and goddesses tend to be depicted as common people without divine features. In addition to Velázquez's forty portraits of Philippe, he painted portraits of other members of the royal family, including princes, infantes (princesses) and queens.

late baroque

Bartolome Esteban Murillo, "The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin (Soult)"

Late Baroque elements emerged as a foreign influence, thanks to Rubens' visits to Spain and the circulation of artists and patrons between Spain and the Spanish possessions of Naples and the Spanish Netherlands. Famous Spanish artists, representatives of the new style - Juan Carreño de Miranda (1614-1685), Francisco Risi (1614-1685) and Francisco de Herrera the Younger (1627-1685), son of Francisco de Herrera the Elder, initiator of the naturalistic emphasis in school Seville. Other notable Baroque artists include Claudio Coelho (1642-1693), Antonio de Pereda (1611-1678), Mateo Cerezo (1637-1666) and Juande Valdes Leal (1622-1690).

The outstanding painter of this period and the most famous Spanish artist before the recognition of the merits of Velazquez, Zurbaran and El Greco in the 19th century was Bartolome Esteban Murillo(1617-1682). He spent most of his career in Seville. His early work reflected Caravaggio's naturalism, using a subdued brown palette, simple but not harsh lighting, and religious themes depicted in natural or domestic settings, as in his painting The Holy Family with a Bird (c. 1650). He later incorporated elements of the Flemish Baroque of Rubens and Van Dyck into his work. The Immaculate Conception (Soult) uses a brighter and more radiant palette of colors, the swirling cherubs putting all the focus on the Virgin, whose eyes are turned to the sky, and a warm luminous halo spreads around her, making her an effective pious image, an important component of this work; the theme of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was presented by Murillo about twenty times.

Spanish art 18th century

"Still Life with Oranges, Flasks and Boxes of Chocolates" by Luis Egidio Meléndez

The beginning of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain under Philip V led to great changes in the field of patronage, the new French-oriented court favoring the styles and artists of Bourbon France. A few Spanish artists were employed by the court - a rare exception was Miguel Jacinto Meléndez (1679-1734) - and it took some time before Spanish artists mastered the new rococo and neoclassical styles. Leading European artists, including Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Anton Raphael Mengs, were active and influential.

Without royal sponsorship, many Spanish artists continued to work in the style baroque when creating religious compositions. This applies to Francisco Baye y Subias (1734-1795), an accomplished fresco painter, and Mariano Salvador Maella (1739-1819), both of whom developed in the direction of Mengs' strict neoclassicism. Another important area for Spanish artists was portraiture, which was actively pursued by Antonio González Velasquez (1723-1794), Joaquín Inza (1736-1811) and Agustín Esteve (1753-1820). But for the still life genre, it was still possible to get royal support, this applied to artists such as the court painter Bartolome Montalvo (1769-1846) and Luis Egidio Meléndez (1716-1780).

Continuing in the Spanish tradition of still life paintings by Sánchez Cotán and Zurbarán, Meléndez created a series of cabinet paintings commissioned by the Prince of Asturias, the future King Charles IV, designed to showcase the full range of foodstuffs from Spain. Instead of simply creating formal natural history teaching materials, he uses harsh lighting, low vantage points, and heavy compositions to dramatize subjects. He showed great interest and attention to detail in reflections, textures, and highlights (such as the highlights on the patterned vase in Still Life with Oranges, Flasks, and Boxes of Candy), reflecting the new spirit of the Enlightenment.

Goya

Francisco Goya, The Third of May 1808

Francisco Goya was a portrait painter and court painter of the Spanish court, a chronicler of history, and, in his unofficial employment, a revolutionary and visionary. Goya painted portraits of the Spanish royal family, including Charles IV of Spain and Ferdinand VII. His themes range from merry feasts for tapestry, sketches of satirical content, to scenes of war, combat, and corpses. In the early stages of his work, he drew sketches of satirical content as templates for tapestries and focused on scenes from everyday life with bright colors. During his life, Goya also made several series of "Grabados" - etchings that depict the decline of society and the horrors of war. The most famous series of his paintings are the Gloomy (Black) Paintings, painted towards the end of his life. This series includes works that are gloomy both in color and in meaning, causing anxiety and shock.

19th century

Frederico Pradilla, Doña Juana La Loca (Juana the Mad)

Various artistic Directions XIX centuries influenced Spanish artists, largely thanks to them, artists were trained in foreign capitals, in particular in Paris and Rome. Thus, neoclassicism, romanticism, realism and impressionism became important trends. However, they were often delayed or transformed by local conditions, including repressive governments and the tragedy of the Carlist Wars. Portraits and historical plots were popular, and the art of the past - in particular the styles and techniques of Velázquez - were of great importance.

At the beginning of the century, the academicism of Vicente López (1772-1850) dominates, and then the neoclassicism of the French artist Jacques-Louis David, for example, in the work of José de Madrazo (1781-1859), the founder of an influential line of artists and gallery directors. His son, Federico de Madrazo (1781-1859), was a leading exponent of Spanish Romanticism, along with Leonardo Alenza (1807-1845), Valeriano Dominguez Becker and Antonio Maria Esquivel.

Later came the period of Romanticism, represented in the history of painting in the works of Antonio Gisbert (1834-1901), Eduardo Rosales (1836-1873) and Francisco Pradilla (1848-1921). In their work, the techniques of realism were often applied to romantic themes. This can be clearly seen in Doña Juana La Loca, a famous early work by Pradilla. The composition, facial expressions and dramatic stormy skies reflect the emotions of the scene; as well as the finely crafted clothing, the texture of the mud, and other details show great realism in the artist's attitude and style. Mariano Fortuny (1838-1874) also developed a strong realist style after being influenced by the French romantic Eugène Delacroix and becoming famous artist of his century in Spain.

Joaquin Sorolla, Boys on the Beach, 1910, Prado Museum

Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) of Valencia excelled in the skillful representation of the people and the landscape under the influence of the sunbeams of his native land, thereby reflecting the spirit of impressionism in many of his works, in particular in the famous seaside paintings. In his painting "Boys on the Beach" he makes reflections, shadows, water glitter and skin his main subject. The composition is very bold, there is no horizon, one of the boys is cut off, and strong diagonals create contrasts, the saturation of the upper left part of the work is increased.

Spanish art and painting of the 20th century

Juan Gris, "Mug of Beer and Playing Cards", 1913, Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio.

In the first half of the 20th century, many leading Spanish artists worked in Paris, where they contributed to the development of the modernist movement in art, and sometimes led it. Perhaps the prime example is Picasso, who worked alongside French artist Marriage, creating the concept of cubism; and the Synthetic Cubist sub-movement was condemned for finding its purest expression in the paintings and collages of Madrid-born Juan Gris. Similarly, Salvador Dali became the central figure of the Surrealist movement in Paris; and Joan Miro had a great influence in abstract art.

Picasso's blue period (1901-1904), which consisted of dark, toned paintings, came under the influence of a trip through Spain. The Picasso Museum in Barcelona houses many of Picasso's early works from his time in Spain, as well as the extensive collection of Jaime Sabartes, Picasso's close friend from his time in Barcelona, ​​who was Picasso's personal secretary for many years. There are many accurate and detailed studies of the images he created in his youth under the tutelage of his father, as well as rare works of the period of his old age, which clearly demonstrate that Picasso's work had a solid foundation from classical methods. Picasso paid the most enduring tribute to Velázquez in 1957 when he recreated his Las Menins in his Cubist style. While Picasso was worried that if he copied a painting by Velazquez it would only look like a copy and not a unique piece, he continued to do so, and the huge work is the largest he has created since Guernica in 1937. - took a significant place in the Spanish canons of art. Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, has two museums with significant collections: the Picasso Museum in Malaga and the Picasso House Museum.

Another period in Spanish Renaissance sculpture, the Baroque, covered the last years of the 16th century, continued into the 17th century, and reached its final flowering in the 18th century, creating a truly Spanish school and style of sculpture, more realistic, intimate and creatively independent compared to the previous one, which was tied to European trends, especially those of the Netherlands and Italy. There were two schools of particular taste and talent: the Seville school, to which Juan Martínez Montañez (the so-called Seville Phidias) belonged, his greatest works being the crucifix in the Cathedral of Seville and another in Vergara and Saint John; and the school of Granada, to which Alonso Cano belonged, to whom the Immaculate Conception and the Virgin of the Rosary are attributed.

Others famous sculptors, representatives of the Andalusian baroque were Pedro de Mena, Pedro Roldan and his daughter Luisa Roldan, Juan de Mesa and Pedro Duque Cornejo.

The 17th century Vallaolid School (Gregorio Fernández, Francisco del Rincón) was replaced in the 18th century by the Madrid School, although less splendid, by the middle of the century it had become a purely academic style. In turn, the Andalusian school was replaced by the Murcia school, which was personified by Francisco Salcillo in the first half of the century. This sculptor is distinguished by the originality, fluidity and dynamic treatment of his works, even those that represented a great tragedy. More than 1800 works are attributed to him, the most famous of his creations are the sculptures that are carried out in procession on Good Friday in Murcia, the most notable among which are the Supplication for the Cup and the Kiss of Judas.

In the 20th century, the most prominent Spanish sculptors were Julio Gonzalez, Pablo Gargallo, Eduardo Chillida and Pablo Serrano.

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