Spanish Renaissance

The Spanish period was a unique time period that was influenced by Moorish, Early Christian, Medieval and Italian design. This fusion of Christian Spain and Moorish is termed Mudejar. One of the main features of this design style is the use of wrought iron in so many of the design features, especially used in furniture and exterior grilles

There were a few different architectural phases during the Spanish renaissance. The first being the Plateresco phase, also called the silversmith phase. This phase was similar to Gothic or Renaissance in architectural style, and it also featured minute and delicate ornamentation that resembled the work of a silversmith. One example of a building contracted during this phase is the University of Salamanca located in west of Madrid.

The phase that immediately followed the Plateresco phase was the Desornamentado phase. This phase was a reaction the the heavily ornamental design of the Plateresco phase and is much more un-ornamented . This phase is known for its austerity and carefully defined proportions. One great example of this phase is El Escorial which was made to be an imitation of the Temple of Solomon from biblical times. El Escorial includes a palace and a religious house and is known as being a highly "moral" building and is known for its simplicity, sobriety, and plainness. In the picture below you can see that EL Escorial really is such a massive structure and so different from the Plateresco phase in its simplicity and careful proportions. 

The furniture from the Spanish period all have a common element in the use of wrought iron in almost all of the pieces from this time. Some of the pieces like the wooden bench are much more rustic than pieces from previous design periods. 

Modern Application 

Today, Spanish design is very popular and its influences can be seen all over the world. The first picture shows a modern application of the tile and wrought iron that was a key feature in the Spanish Renaissance 

Santiago Calatrava is a Spanish born architect and engineer who creates spectacular designs all over the world, below are pictures of bridge in Jerusalem that he created as well as a building he constructed in Valencia Spain. 

Peer Reviews: 

The first blog I read was Paige S's.  I really enjoyed her blog post, especially all the pictures she provided, it really displayed the time period well and showed a great understanding of all this period included. 

Secondly, I read Nicole K's blog. She also provided really good pictures to display the period accurately. I also really liked the video she posted of the furniture during the Spanish period. It gave a good review and showed the details of the main furniture pieces.