Bellas artes

• The Artcyclopedia Presents Diego Velázquez
  
  Diego Velázquez was an innovative 17th-century Spanish painter known for still lifes and portraits. Born in Seville, Velázquez trained in Madrid and remained there for the rest of his career as a painter in the royal court. His creations were special for their raw beauty and for the depth that Velázquez could create on canvas. Take a trip around the world to see the works of Velázquez that hang in museums from Texas to Russia. Go to each museum to see the paintings, or read the articles at the bottom of the page about this fascinating figure.
  Las Meninas This is one of Velázquez's most famous paintings. What is everyone looking at? Enlarge the picture and look in the mirror in the background to find the answer.
  
  
• Prado Museum Tour from Spanish Arts
  
  Spanish Arts presents this great Prado resource that is searchable by artist. Click on the name of an artist at the top of the page to go directly to images of his work in the Prado galleries. Try El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya, three of Spain's greatest painters.
  El Pelele The airborne figure in El Pelele (The Puppet) by Goya supposedly represents the king of Spain, being tossed around by his countrymen.
  
  
• This Way to the Prado Museum
  
  Established by King Ferdinand VII in 1819, the Prado was once filled with treasures collected over the ages by Spanish royalty. Today, its two buildings house a wide assortment of the best of Spanish paintings, along with assorted sculptures, medallions, and other works of art. Visit this official website for a grand experience of Spanish art.
  Tour the Paintings: Villanueva Building This magnificant building houses works from the 18th century and earlier along with the paintings of Goya, one of Spain's finest artists.
  Tour the Paintings: Casón del Buen Retiro
  
  
• Ávila Cathedral
  
  Located in the southern portion of Castilla y León, the Ávila Cathedral is an awe-inspiring building. Encompasing multiple time periods in Spanish architecture, the building brings together the Romantic style of the 12th century with the Gothic style of later times. Gaze at these breathtaking photographs of the building itself, examine its floor plan, or delve into the internal links for an in-depth look at one of Spain's most historic landmarks.
  
  
• José Echegaray y Eizaguirre
  
  One would think that the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature would be an artsy, dreamy person. But that's not true in the case of José Echegaray y Eizaguirre. His degree was in economics, not literature. This native of Madrid went to an engineering school and served in the Spanish Cabinet before he even picked up a pen to write the plays that won him the Nobel Prize. Read about the man and his accomplishments at this official Nobel website.
  
  
• Spanish Literature
  
  Spain's Cervantes, Galdós, and Lorca are compared here to England's Shakespeare, Dickens, and Yeats. Read some of the great poetry of Spain in English and Spanish, then dig into this fan's website for biographies of Spain's greatest writers of fiction, including the creator of one of Spain's most famous classics, Don Quixote de La Mancha. Some pages include pictures of these illustrious writers.
  
  
• Francisco de Goya
  
  Francisco de Goya's career spanned over 60 years. During that time, he created scores of works that earned him the title of "Father of Modern Art." This Zaragoza (Aragón) native lived through tumultuous times in Spain's history — a fact that is reflected in his artwork. At this award-winning website, explore a comprehensive biography illustrated by a number of his most famous works.
  
  
• The Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de los Silos
  
  Did the Latin music invasion start with Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, or a group of Benedictine monks in Castilla y León? The Monks of Santo Domingo de los Silos broke onto the popular music scene in 1995 and were soon topping the charts. Follow the links to audio samples provided by amazon.com and take a look at this brief summary of the talented group whose Gregorian chant made them one of the best-selling recording artists of the mid-90s.
  
  
• Segovia: The Aqueduct
  
  In most American homes, water travels through a maze of pipes right to the tap. But in Segovia, the water travels through 2,000-year-old aqueducts constructed during the Roman occupation of Spanish lands. Take a look at spectacular pictures of this ancient plumbing system that is still used today, and check out brief descriptions of this architectural marvel at this website dedicated to travel in Spain.
  
  
• The Cathedral of Burgos
  
  A popular stop on the famous pilgrim's route to the Santiago Cathedral, the Cathedral of Burgos is itself a marvel of Spanish architecture. See the beauty of the structure and learn how travelers influenced the architecture of the building. Spain's legendary hero El Cid and his wife are buried here. Be sure to listen to a reading of the first lines of the epic Poema de Mio Cid.
  
  
• The Architecture of Salamanca
  
  The town of Salamanca is renowned for its architecture, much of which is described in this piece provided by All About Spain. Discover the roots of the plateresque style, which is evident in many of Spain's most aesthetically appealing buildings. Read descriptions of the landmarks that put Salamanca on the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites, then click on the cameras to see great photographs of each structure.
  
  
• The Legend of El Cid
  
  Who was El Cid? According to legend, he was a white knight of medieval Spain who fought the enemy and was made into a hero by his countrymen. But the real El Cid, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, was a mercenary soldier who conquered a kingdom for himself and ruled it until his death. Read his biography as well as the Spanish and English versions of El Cid.
  
  
• Coral Santa Teresa
  
  The Coral Santa Teresa brings the 15th century to modern-day audiences in Aragón and around the world. This choir, based in Zaragoza, began as a parents' group for a neighboorhood school. Now they travel all over the world, singing choral pieces that date back as far as the 15th century. Read the history of the group and listen to their melodies at their official website.
  
  

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