-
The Renaissance was an artistic, cultural, and philosophical movement that began in Italy in the late 14th century and spread throughout Europe until the 16th century. This marked the transition between the Middle Ages and the modern age.
The Renaissance was driven by many factors, but the most notable was the shift in the mindset of humans as the center of the universe.One of the most important milestones during this period was the invention of the printing press. -
Brunelleschi's dome is special for being the first large, unsupported dome of its size.The cathedral is an iconic symbol of Gothic and Renaissance art and, because its construction took many years, it encompasses many styles and houses important works of art such as the frescoes of the Last Judgment. -
The Vatican Pietà or Pietà is a sculptural group in marble made by Michelangelo between 1498 and 1499, it represents the Virgin Mary holding the body of the dead Christ and is located in St. Peter's Basilica and one of the reasons why it is important is because it is the only work by the author signed -
The School of Athens is a room intended to serve as the papal library in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, created by Raphael Sanzio between 1510 and 1511. Located in the Seal Room or Stanza della Segnatura, the school houses many important figures from antiquity, including philosophers, mathematicians, and geographers, including the most renowned Plato, Aristotle, and Archimedes. -
The reign of Charles I is important because it inaugurated the Habsburg dynasty in Spain. Thanks to him, the Crown of Castile expanded its territories over much of the Americas, where Hernán Cortes conquered the Aztec Empire in 1521, which would give rise to the Kingdom of New Spain. Charles I's reign ended when he abdicated in Brussels in October 1556 and January
-
It was an armed revolt among some Castilian cities against King Charles I due to increased taxes, the appointment of foreign nobles, and the fear of losing power.
The revolt was led by figures such as Padilla, Bravo, and Maldonado and ended in 1521 with the defeat of the comuneros at the Battle of Villalar. -
The Peace of Augsburg was an agreement reached in Germany on September 25, 1555, during the Protestant Reformation. This treaty ended decades of religious conflict between the Catholic and Protestant princes of the Holy Roman Empire.
The main agreement of the peace was the principle of "cuius regio, eius religio," which established that each prince would have the right to choose the religion of his territory. -
During his reign, Spain consolidated its position as the world's leading power with a constantly expanding empire.
His reign was characterized by global exploration and territorial expansion across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, but also faced serious internal conflicts, such as the Morisco revolt in the Alpujarras, and economic problems due to constant wars.
The reign ended on September 13, 1598, when Felipe I died. -
The Eighty Years' War was an armed conflict between the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands and their sovereign, King Philip II of Spain.
The cause of the war was the States-General's demand that the Crown negotiate with William of Orange and that the Spanish troops leave the territory.
The war ended when Spain sent an armada to Flanders in 1639 and was decisively defeated. Spain finally recognized the independence of the Dutch Republic in 1648. -
The "Alpujarra Rebellion" refers to an armed conflict that occurred in the 16th century (1568-1571) between the Moriscos of the Kingdom of Granada and King Philip II of Spain.
The main cause of this war was that in 1567, the king issued a declaration prohibiting Morisco languages, habits, and customs, forcing their assimilation into Christian culture.
This war forced the more than 80,000 Moriscos of Granada to abandon their homes and disperse to different parts of the Iberian Peninsula -
It was a military and political agreement between some of the northern provinces of the Netherlands that opposed the Spanish Monarchy and wanted to defend their independence and religious freedom in the context of the Eighty Years' War. This agreement closed the possibility of uniting the French and Spanish crowns and also caused Spain to lose Gibraltar, Naples and Sicily. -
It was an agreement between some southern provinces of the Netherlands and Philip II, recognizing Philip II's sovereignty in the context of the Eighty Years' War. This agreement led to the division of the Netherlands during the Eighty Years' War, and thanks to this treaty, some northern provinces formed the Union of Utrecht. -
This defeat dates back to 1588, when King Philip II sent the Spanish Armada to invade England and restore Catholicism.
Although the English navy was superior, the defeat was not due to that factor, but rather to the wind and bad weather that drove the Spanish fleet northward, scattering it and causing disaster on the return voyage.
The defeat of the armada was a severe blow to Spanish prestige and the beginning of English naval supremacy. -
Baroque art is an artistic style that emerged in Europe in the 17th century and lasted until well into the 18th century. Its works are characterized by their emphasis on emotion, drama, movement, and exuberance.
Baroque art encompasses diverse artistic expressions such as painting, architecture, sculpture, theater, and music.
One of the most important artists of this period was Velazquez, with one of his renowned paintings, "Las Meninas." -
This sculpture, made by Bernini in 1622, is a milestone in Baroque sculpture, as it manages to make marble seem to vibrate with life by fusing movement, emotion, and narrative.
Furthermore, this work depicts Apollo, one of the main Greco-Roman Olympian deities, pursuing the nymph Daphne, who tries to escape and, after invoking her father, transforms into a laurel tree so that the god cannot take her as his wife. -
This project was commissioned by Pope Alexander VII and built between 1656 and 1667. It is a large elliptical space surrounded by enormous semicircular colonnades that open out like "arms" of the Church, welcoming worshippers. These arms extend toward Rome and the world, representing the open arms of the Church that embrace Christianity. The square was built so that the Pope could see and address the largest possible number of people, especially during large public events and liturgies. -
In the work of art, Velazquez represents two things, in front of the painting a workshop with women working and further back the fable of Arachne is represented, which consists of a young mortal who is very good at weaving and challenges the goddess Athena to a contest, boasting of being better than her and as punishment for her pride, the goddess transforms her into a spider so that she weaves for the rest of her life. -
Neoclassicism developed from the mid-18th century to the mid-19th century, generally coinciding with the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire. Baroque and Rococo were heavily criticized and replaced by a style based on the rediscovery of classical antiquity. Neoclassicism is characterized by clarity of form, sober colors, shallow space, and strong horizontal and vertical lines that make the subject matter timeless.
The leading painter of Neoclassicism is the Frenchman Jacques Louis David. -
This is a famous neoclassical painting by Jacques-Louis David depicting an episode from ancient Rome. The work shows three Roman brothers, the Horatii, swearing loyalty to their father and Rome before fighting against three brothers from the rival city of Alba Longa, the Curiatii, to settle a war.
This work was commissioned by the king, intending it as an allegory about loyalty to the state and, therefore, to the monarch.
This work is in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. -
"The Family of Charles IV" is a group portrait painted by Francisco de Goya in 1800 and exhibited at the Prado Museum. This painting follows the model of Velázquez's Menias, although with a more naturalistic representation and the members have a more human appearance, without idealizing their features.
This work is important because it is a realistic, unidealized portrait of the royal family, reflecting the power of Queen Maria Luisa and the decline of the monarchy in a time of crisis.