Spanish Renaissance

The Spanish Renaissance was influenced by the moorish, early christian, medieval and Italian Renaissance. There were two main phases during this period, the Plateresco phase, and the Desornamentado phase. The Plateresco phase was minute and delicate in its ornamentation and the work would resemble that of a silversmith. The Desornamentado phase was a powerful style characterized by austerity and was applied to court, ecclesiastical, and public buildings. One of the important buildings of this time was the Escorial which  was started in 1562 by Phillip II and completed by Juan Herrera. Included in this building was a palace and a religious house. The Escorial is considered to be one of the most important architectural buildings of the Spanish Renaissance. The interior of the building was decorated by many Spanish and Italian artists of the time and the decoration was carefully coordinated with the architecture to create a unified artistic effect.