High Baroque in Spain

The baroque era in Spain was a golden age for both literature (Cervantes) and painting. The style is frequently divided into a more austere northern version, and a sensual painting style from Andalusia. In an international context, Spanish high baroque art is characterised by a clear, lasting, and distinct naturalism.
The roots of Spanish high baroque art can be found in regional traditions, and the early Italian baroque reforms, with Caravaggism having a greater influence than the Carracci style. Elements of Caravaggist art such as naturalism, strongly contrasting colours, and the effective application of chiaroscuro, lasted longer in Spain than elsewhere. The principles of Caravaggism thus had a strong impact on both early and high baroque art in Spain.

Two Spanish followers of Caravaggio were Francisco Ribalta und his pupil, Jusepe de Ribera, who worked in Naples. Francisco Herrera the Elder and the Seville school, which included Francisco de Zurbaron, were the main exponents of Spanish Caraveggesque-realist baroque art. Diego (Rodriguez de Silva y) Velázquez (1599-1660) from Seville, didn’t imitate the baroque idealism of many of his Italian contemporaries, but instead worked in a refreshing naturalistic style. Whilst Velásquez largely devoted himself to portrait painting, Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1618-82), also from Seville, chose popular, easily accessible motifs. His ouvre was characterised by graceful and intimate Madonnas, pious saints, which made slightly romantic reference to Raphael, and genre paintings of farm hands. During the late baroque era, Spanish painting lost its significance, only regaining its international status with the work of Francisco Goya in the late 18th century.