Renaissance and Baroque Art, and the Bourbon Reforms in Spain

Summary

These notes outline the main architectural, sculptural and pictorial styles of the Spanish Renaissance and Baroque, including Plateresque, Purism and Herrerian architecture and the features of Baroque floor plans and painting. They also summarise the political and economic reforms of the Bourbon dynasty in Spain, such as the Decrees of the New Plant and the economic policies of the eighteenth century. Students will learn how political systems of the Old Regime differed and how the Bourbons tried to address the problems of their time.

Key points

Renaissance architecture appeared in three styles: Plateresque (rich decoration, e.g., Salamanca), Purism (cleaner decoration, e.g., Palace of Charles V) and Herrerian (austere, e.g., Monastery of San Lorenzo).
Renaissance sculpture focused on religious subjects, often in polychrome wood; El Greco and Berruguete are notable figures.
Baroque architecture used octagonal, elliptical, Greek cross and Latin cross floor plans, curved walls, split pediments and the Solomonic column.
Baroque painting features diagonal compositions, chiaroscuro, extreme naturalism and a focus on perspective.
Philip V promulgated the Decrees of the New Plant, abolishing the laws and institutions of the Crown of Aragon and implementing the Castilian model.
Physiocracy held that wealth comes from land and agriculture, while Adam Smith's economic liberalism held that it comes from the labour of a nation's inhabitants.

Test yourself

Renaissance Features

Architecture during the Renaissance appeared in three distinct styles:

Plateresque: Richly decorated facades imitating the work of silversmiths (e.g., Salamanca).
Purism: A cleaner decorative style (e.g., Palace of Charles V).
Herrerian: Characterized by austerity and a lack of decoration (e.g., Monastery of San Lorenzo).

Renaissance Sculpture and Painting

Sculpture focused on religious subjects, utilizing polychrome wood. Notable figures include El Greco and Berruguete. Painting is highlighted by elongated figures that convey spirituality, filled with rich color.

Characteristics of the Baroque

Baroque architecture utilized octagonal, elliptical, Greek cross, and Latin cross floor plans. Walls were often curved, pediments were split, and the Solomonic column was used alongside religious themes.

Baroque Sculpture and Painting

Sculpture expanded to include mythological and allegorical themes, using materials such as marble, alabaster, and bronze. Works emphasize movement and appear in both relief and in the round. Painting features diagonal compositions, strong contrasts of light and shadow (chiaroscuro), extreme naturalism, and a focus on perspective over line drawing.

Bourbon Reforms

Political Reforms

Philip V promulgated the Decrees of the New Plant, which abolished the laws and institutions of the Crown of Aragon and implemented the Castilian model.

Economic Reforms

To address the shortage of land and excessive livestock privileges, reforms included:

Spreading new crops and techniques, such as the use of fertilizers.
Implementing new farming systems.
Increasing arable land surface.
Liberalizing grain prices.

Eighteenth-Century Economic Policies

Physiocracy: The theory that a country's wealth is derived from land and agriculture.
Economic Liberalism: Proposed by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, asserting that the primary source of a nation's wealth is the labor of its inhabitants.

Political Systems

Absolute Monarchy

The dominant system during the Old Regime, where the king's power was considered divinely ordained, justifying the concentration of authority.

Parliamentary Monarchy

A system where the king's power is limited by a parliament involved in the approval of laws, consisting of three estates: the nobility, the clergy, and the Third Estate.

Historical Context

Civil War

A conflict that occurred in the United States following the abolition of slavery in 1860.

Arrival of the Bourbons in Spain

In the eighteenth century, a new dynasty—the Bourbons—ascended to the Spanish throne. Under the influence of Enlightenment reforms, they sought to resolve the systemic problems of the Old Regime.

FAQ

What were the three Renaissance architectural styles in Spain?

The three styles were Plateresque, with richly decorated facades imitating silversmiths' work; Purism, a cleaner decorative style; and Herrerian, characterised by austerity and little decoration.

What were the Decrees of the New Plant?

They were decrees promulgated by Philip V that abolished the laws and institutions of the Crown of Aragon and implemented the Castilian model.

What is the difference between physiocracy and economic liberalism?

Physiocracy holds that a country's wealth derives from land and agriculture, whereas economic liberalism, proposed by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations, holds that it derives from the labour of its inhabitants.