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THE NATIONAL SPECIFIC CHARACTER OF SPANISH BAROQUE SCULPTURE
Abstract
The article explores the roots of the national specific character of Spanish Baroque sculpture. The national specific features of Spanish sculpture are often treated in literature as a set of separate characteristics. However, Spanish sculpture of the 17-18th centuries is an integral phenomenon of a high artistic quality, and it cannot be explained by the influence of discrete factors. So, it is important to find a common reason which could account for the outstanding originality of Spanish sculpture. ?. V. ??r?zova attempts to look at the problem through the theory of primitivisation. This theory was developed by Russian scholars, one of whom was L. I. Tananayeva. As to Spanish Baroque sculpture, one should not study a spontaneous natural primitivisation, but rather explore a purposefully worked-out method. That method was used both by the customer and the artist in order to make their art more transparent and comprehensible for the wide masses of believers. Such an attitude satisfied the demands expressed at the Council of Trent, which started the Counter-Reformation epoch. The main specific features of Spanish Baroque sculpture are the following: the wide popularity of Spanish sculpture at large, an almost complete absence of round sculpture, the inclusion of sculpture in massive architectural-sculptural ensembles, the use of wood as main material for retablos and choir-stalls backs, bright local colours, an abundant use of gold, naturalistic details, expressive gestures and mimics of the characters, frequent copies of famous works of sculpture and painting. ?. V. ??r?zova comes to the conclusion that these specific features were typical of folk art in general, and, consequently, they supported the wide popularity of Spanish sculpture of the time and its effective influence on believers.
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