The Arts in Spain in the 16th and 17th Centuries: Patronage by Church and State under the Habsburgs at The Courtauld Institute of Art

The Arts in Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries is an introduction to the extraordinary wealth and variety of the arts in Spain from the post-Islamic 16th century to the end of the Habsburg era. Spain’s vast empire attracted talented artists, architects and sculptors from all over Europe. Italian and Flemish prints were often the initial inspiration for many artists of Spain’s golden age of the 17th century. Spain led the counter reformation against the Protestant movement and the Spanish church commissioned vast numbers of religious images during the late 16th and 17th centuries. Realism was considered most effective in communicating the Catholic cause. This is reflected in the paintings of Velázquez, Zurbarán, and Murillo, and in contemporary sculptures, some of which even incorporated ivory teeth and glass eyes.