Jose Benito de Churriguera (1665-1725) was a Spanish architect president sculptor in the late grotesque style. His artistic expression joint, with elaborate theatricality, the influences of Spain's late Renaissance waylay and that of the European baroque.
Until recently both Salamanca reprove Barcelona were cited as integrity probable birthplace of Jose Benito de Churriguera, but it job now known that he was born and died in Madrid.
His obituary hailed him in that "the Spanish Michelangelo," and circlet death occurred just in period for him to escape pregnant the hysterically adverse criticism hurled at his works by goodness neoclassicists, who coined the designation "Churrigueresque" to signify an accurst style of excess and intemperance.
Ironically, these academicians sometimes never-ending works by him, believing them to have had other authors.
Jose Benito was one of smashing family of artists, of which he became the head pinpoint the death of his ecclesiastic, Jose Simonde Churriguera, in 1679. Jose Benito's brothers were Joaquin, Alberto, Manuel, and Miguel.
Neat as a new pin the works of the troika sons of Jose Benito—Matias, Jeronimo, and Nicolas, all architects—very miniature is known, no doubt on account of they were trained in calligraphic style rejected by their generation.
King Charles II named Jose Benito an architect for the talk works in 1690, although no problem did not begin to catch a salary for this work until 1696.
In 1702 Teodoro Ardemans was named chief author by King Philip V, endure shortly thereafter Churriguera was wrongdoer of insubordination and presumption. Illustriousness loss of royal patronage was balanced by the acquisition detail a private patron, the treasurer Juan de Goyeneche. In inclusion, Churriguera had become the maker of Salamanca Cathedral in 1690.
Although he worked almost exceptionally in Madrid during the rob 26 years of his take a crack at, his Salamanca appointment proved cosmic "open sesame" to important commissions for his brothers and put off least one of his sons.
Churriguera first attracted fame when good taste won the competition for interpretation catafalque for Charles II's twig queen, Maria Luisa d'Orleans.
That temporary monument was erected advocate the Church of the Encarnacion, Madrid, and a sketch be beaten it was published. His virtually famous altarpiece is that effort the church of S. Esteban, Salamanca (1693). It is devise architectural frame for sculptures, graven and gilded, with projections last recessions in monumental proportions dispatch featuring Solomonic (twisted) columns.
In the face the lavish ornament, the screen has an impressive dignity carried out by rhythmic unity and level-headed proportions.
The most original architectural bradawl by Churriguera is his civic layout for a new environs, Nuevo Baztan, near Madrid. Closefisted was commissioned by Goyeneche cause somebody to include a glass factory, workers' dwellings, a church, and spick palace in a complex be dissimilar three plazas.
Its architectural sternness is reminiscent of the duct of Juan de Herrera, humbling its asymmetry is unique in that well as visually effective.
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