10 Reasons Why Studying Art History in Spain Offers a Rich and Captivating Experience by Karla Darocas, Arts Historian

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I have been researching, writing and teaching about Spanish art for over 30 years.  I have found that studying art history in Spain offers a unique opportunity to explore a vibrant artistic landscape that spans centuries, cultures and movements. It is an enriching journey that broadens artistic horizons, and deepens understanding and appreciation of the fascinating world of art.

Here are 10 reasons why I love Spain and its artistic heritage!

Sculptures by the Andalusian Baroque Master Pedro de Mena in Gandía

One of my favourite treasure chests is the Santa Clara Museum in Gandia. Its roots go back to 1431, when Violante de Aragón, daughter of Alfonso de Aragón - senor, Duke of Gandia, founded the convent of Santa Clara in this town.

Since its foundation, many famous women have sought the spiritual refuge of the convent, either because of a sincere vocation or because they were forced to do so by their families who were unable to provide a suitable marriage.

* Report by art historian and educator , Karla Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)

MAJA WITH A SMALL DOG, 1865, Eugenio Lucas Velázquez

One of the most impressive paintings that will catch your eye when you visit the Carmen Thyssen Museum in Málaga is this completely relaxed "Maja with a Small Dog". It was painted in 1865 by the madrileño, Eugenio Lucas Velázquez, one of the most popular artists of the Spanish Romantic period, considered the best successor to Goya.

Undoubtedly, Eugenio Lucas is paying homage to Goya's masterful work, the Maja, of which there are two versions, one clothed and one nude. Eugenio preferred the clothed Maja to the nude Maja, which allowed him to tell a much fuller story.

* Report by art historian and educator , Karla Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)

WHAT IS ANDALUSIAN ROMANTICISM?

Andalusian Romanticism refers to a cultural movement that emerged in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia in the 19th century. It was characterised by a renewed interest in local traditions and a romanticised view of Andalusian culture, including its music, art, literature and architecture.

Seville, a city in the Andalusia region of southern Spain, played an important role in the development of Romanticism in Spain during the 19th century. Among the most important painters of this movement from Seville are:

Manuel Barrón y Carrillo - Born in Seville in 1814, Barrón y Carrillo was a painter who specialised in landscapes and genre scenes. His work was characterised by a very detailed style and focused on the colours and textures of the Andalusian landscape.

Joaquín Domínguez Bécquer - Born in Seville in 1822, Bécquer was a painter and illustrator who was also the brother of the famous Romantic poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer. His work was characterised by a very detailed style and focused on the emotions and expressions of his subjects.

José Jiménez Aranda - Born in Seville in 1837, Aranda was a prolific painter who specialised in historical and genre scenes. His work was characterised by a concentration on everyday life and a romanticising view of Andalusian culture and traditions.

Overall, these painters played an important role in the development of Romanticism in 19th century Spain, and their works are still celebrated and admired today.

Andalusian Romanticism also had an important influence on Spanish music, particularly the flamenco tradition. During this period, flamenco music began to evolve from a local Andalusian style into a national symbol of Spanish identity and became increasingly popular with artists and intellectuals throughout the country, but that's another story!

Overall, Andalusian Romanticism represented a celebration of Andalusian culture and traditions, as well as a reaction to the industrialisation and modernisation that swept Spain in the 19th century. It played an important role in the development of Spanish art, literature and music, and continues to inspire and influence artists today.

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PORT OF MÁLAGA by Manuel Barrón y Carrillo

The next time you visit to Málaga, I recommend a go to the Carmen Thyssen Museum. Here you will find a wonderful collection of paintings belonging to the genre of Andalusian Romanticism.

These paintings are among my favourites for their scenic qualities, composition, painterly style and historical implications.

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VIDEO - End of the Day, Joaquin Sorolla, 1900

The End of the Day is a unique painting by Joaquin Sorolla that is never talked about. It is an easel-sized oil painting on linen, 88 by 128 centimetres, approximately 34 by 50 inches.

It was painted during his visit to a charming enclave called Javea (or Xabia in Valencian) in the province of Alicante. It was also Joaquín Sorolla's third stay in Javea , between the fifth of August and the eighteenth of October in the year 1900.

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PASSION AND PRIDE AT THE PRADO: Spain's Seven Most Famous Historical Romantic Stories & the Artists Who Immortalised Them

NOW AVAILABLE ON KINDLE

Discover and appreciate the story behind paintings such as Queen Isabel the Catholic Dictating her Will, or the sad misadventure of Doña Juana La Loca (Queen Juana the Mad), who ends her days as Queen Juana la Loca, Secluded in Tordesillas with her Daughter, Infanta Doña Catalina.

And then there is also the cruel story behind Prince Don Carlos of Viana, and then the catastrophic saga behind the Conversion of the Duke of Gandia.

You will not want to miss the dramatic tale of The Lovers of Teruel, nor miss the heroic yet fatal story behind the Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Málaga.

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CLOTILDE is a heart-warming story - about a woman who was driven by her unwavering love and devotion to her husband, the now legendary 19th and early 20th century master of light, the Valencian artist, Joaquín Sorolla.

MONASTERY OFFERS A VAST ARRAY OF ARCHITECTURAL WONDERS

The royal monastery of Sant Jeroni de Cotalba sits proudly on a small hill outside Gandia, in the district of Alfauir (Valencia). It is surrounded by nature, orange groves, hiking trails and picnic areas. Today it is a private estate open to the public at weekends, but over the last 600 years it has been a very special place for kings, queens, nobles and the Hieronymite order. Let's take a look....

* Report by art historian and educator , Karla Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)

* Copyright Karla Darocas 2018* (no part of this text or photographs may be reproduced)

IRONY IS IN THE WASH

In this 1871 painting by Seville artist José Jiménez Aranda, a group of women are working on their laundry.

The folksy characters of the washerwomen still conform to the Romantic trend of reporting on the lives of ordinary hard-working citizens, but the narrative now demands more insight into the psychology of the characters and the irony of the situation.

** Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com)

ANNA'S SPECTACULAR STRUCTURE IS A SERIES OF HISTORICAL MILESTONES

Anna is a peaceful town in the Valencian hinterland on the river Sellent. There you can admire a spectacular, grandiose building, a castle-palace that is an architectural milestone of an uninterrupted glorious history and a determined restoration. The place of Anna is an epic story, filled with illustrious times and famous people!

Report by Karla Darocas, Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com) for SpainLifestyle.com

ART SAVES SPANISH TOWN AND SURPRISES THE WORLD!

Looking for an inspiring story? How about the unique concept of an "open-air" art gallery that transformed a deprived village of 323 inhabitants in the Spanish province of Castellón, and is now part of a worldwide circuit of street art exhibitions?

Report by Karla Darocas, Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com) for SpainLifestyle.com

THE MYSTERY OF EL GRECO'S PAINTING OF SAINT SEBASTIAN

In his illustrious career, El Greco painted Saint Sebastian three times. The last of his three portraits from 1610 to 1614 found its way into the Prado Museum - but in two parts. Why?

Report by Karla Darocas, Hons. B. A. (KarlaDarocas.com) for SpainLifestyle.com

EL GRECO'S TINY TRIBUTE TO THE FATHER OF THE SACRED FAMILY

Why is El Greco's painting, the Flight into Egypt, c. 1570, so special? It is only a small oil painting on a prepared pine panel. It is mainly a landscape depiction with the Holy Family as figures in it. It shows El Greco's newly acquired knowledge of the Venetian style of painting, which was popular at the time due to the great Venetian master Titian.

* Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas, Hons. B.A. (KarlaDarocas.com)

A TRIBUTE TO A VICTORIOUS VALENCIANO - José de Ribera (1591-1652)

When I lived in Xàtiva in 2001, the town where my husband was born, I walked past the statue of José de Ribera every day. Our flat was on the same street as the basilica and the old hospital where my husband was born, and at the other end was the statue of José de Ribera, or Jusepe, as he is called in the Valencian language. 

José de Ribera was born in Xàtiva in 1591. His father was Simón Ribera, a shoemaker by trade, and his mother was Margarita Cucó. Although there are many documentary and bibliographical sources describing many aspects of Ribera's life and work, there is nothing about his childhood and youth in Xàtiva.

Report by Karla Ingleton Darocas (KarlaDarocas.com) (c) SpainLifestyle.com