Spanish Renaissance Reflection

I read Chanel's blog this week and really liked how she compared and contrasted the Italian Renaissance and the Spanish Renaissance. It is important to realize that they share similarities but are still different in some aspects. She also talked about the 3 styles of this period which I found interesting.

Melanie's blog also discussed two Spanish Renaissance styles in some detail. First she described the Plateresque period and then moved on to the Desornamentado period. I really liked that she put pictures of each style to help to visually show the differences between them. What I enjoyed most about her blog was the use of her own pictures to show applications of design elements during the Spanish Renaissance.

Spanish Renaissance

Although the Spanish Renaissance was influenced in part by the Italian Renaissance, the artists and architects at the time created a style that was all its own and unique to the Spanish culture.  Many of the art, interiors, and buildings during this time were a fusion of Spanish and Moorish cultures, which contributed to the uniqueness of their style.  It wasn't until the Moors were finally expelled from Spain that Moorish design fell into disuse.

Alhambra - last palace built by Moors before their expulsion

Spain has more castles than any other country in Europe, and their castles have all of the qualities you think of when picturing a castle.  Moats, drawbridges, huge fortresses, you name it and the Spanish castles of this time have it.  Spain was never a place that I pictured to have castles, usually I think of England, Ireland, or other European countries in that area, so I found it very interesting to learn that castles were so prominent within the Spanish culture during their Renaissance. 

La Mota

Cathedrals were a mix of Gothic and Renaissance, with features of both used to create a cohesive space that fused together two very different time periods.  The Spanish, especially during the Plateresco phase, when these type of cathedrals were built, created elaborate designs through the use of carvings, plaster, and grille work.  In fact, grille work would become a major factor in all facets of Spanish design, and would have a lasting impact on design style throughout the centuries and the globe.  The Plateresco phase differed greatly from the Desornamentado phase, which was characterized by austerity and defined proportions.

Cathedral of Seville Facade

Cathedral of Seville Interior

Spanish design is still widely used today, and could probably be called one of the top used styles around the world.  I found the video we watched about modern Spanish design to be very interesting, because I recognized many of those products but didn't know that they were all from Spain.  There is something about Spanish design that is extremely appealing, and whether it is home, commercial, or product design you can see Spanish influenced design all around.

Rectangular Wood Furniture and Nail Work

Geometric Shapes, Grille Work

Tiles are Very Popular in Spanish Influenced Residential Design

Italian Renaissance Reflection

I read Flor's blog and liked how she started off the post focusing on the renaissance as the "rebirth." She discussed the developments in science and the creation of the one-point perspective. What I found most interesting about her blog post was that she broke down the major interior details walls, floors, and ceilings and went into detail about what each part consisted of.

I also read John's post and I found it really interesting how he broke down all of his descriptions into people who had a major impact during this time period.  It was a clever way to talk about the developments, art, and architecture of this time period and it made it information that was very easy to understand.

Italian Renaissance

Architecture and art of the Italian Renaissance is what I picture when I think of Italy.  It seems that elements from that time period have become deeply ingrained in the Italian culture and history.

During this time period interior architecture became very popular.  Homes had a central courtyard with rooms surrounding that.  Shops were located on the ground floor and living quarters were on the second and third floor.  Italian Renaissance homes were focused on symmetry, with public rooms where guests would enter and then smaller apartments in the private areas of the home.

Facades also developed a certain style during this time period.  They were split into three divisions with compound windows and heavy project cornices.  The facades took on a rustic feel made of brick and stone and appeared simple and plain compared to the interiors of the home.

Sculpture and art came to a forefront during the Italian Renaissance.  Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci created some of their most famous works during this time period, including the David, the Last Supper, and the Mona Lisa.

In the modern day Italian Renaissance design and architecture still plays a big part. Residential and building design is greatly influenced by this time period. Whether it is in the architectural elements or the decorative interiors you can see Italian Renaissance influence all around.

Americas Reflection

I really like how Desiree called this the "era of disappearance," because that could not be more true and it is a really clever way to remember it. There is a mystery surrounding so many of the civilizations that we talked about in class. She also shared a link to the movie Apocolypto, which I had not heard of before, but it sounds like an interesting film and really ties into what we talked about in class this week.

Similar to my blog, Samantha drew a parallel between the Olmecs and Egyptian civilizations. She also discussed how the Mayans were the only civilizations from the Americas to record their own language, which I thought was very interesting. Lastly, she talked about how she is so interested in these civilizations because of the mystery surrounding them, which I think is what draws a lot of people to them. The fact that they cannot be explained only makes people want an explanation more.

The Americas

I found this week to be really interesting, because it focused on architecture and art outside of Europe.  We usually think of European countries as the birthplace of many architectural elements and design, which they are, but great influence has also come from other areas of the globe. The Aztec civilization is said to have rivaled that of Rome, which I find amazing. Many parallels run between American civilizations and those in Europe and elsewhere. For one, pyramids similar to those built in Ancient Egypt, were also being built by the Aztecs and Mayans. Temples and polytheistic religion was also popular in the Americas as it was in Europe during this time period. It is unfortunate that almost all of these civilizations were conquered by the Spanish or mysteriously vanished so we do not know more about them and how/why they came to an end.

When I was younger my family and I went to visit Tulum, which is a site of Ancient Mayan ruins in Mexico. It was the first time I was exposed to that kind of architecture and history and it really impressed me. The buildings are massive in scale and are actually pretty well preserved. Tulum is located right on the sea, almost on cliffs above the sea, which probably gave it some protection, but I found it interesting in class when we talked about the civilizations not having walls around their cities, so there must not have been fear of others trying to come and conquer them which is quite different then in Europe. 

Today aspects of architecture and art from the Americas are still used in interior design. In fact there is a whole design motif called Aztec design, which is quite popular, so these civilizations have had a major impact throughout time.

Aztec Design

Aztec inspired bedroom

Trapezoid door