More is more. A “Venturian” rereading of 15th and 16th centuries Spanish architecture from the Avellaneda Palace

Abstract

The architecture of the so-called “first Spanish Renaissance” is characterized by the combination of elements of medieval origin (either Gothic or Mudejar) with the new influences of the Italian Renaissance. Until here, we have mentioned a well-known topic, but coincidentally, from two recent visits to an outstanding example, the Avellaneda Palace, emerged a series of reflections about the period and its treatment in the historiography that we propose to share. These works have traditionally been interpreted as phenomena where traces of the medieval past are projected into a present marked by Renaissance. On the contrary, we understand that the Mudejar elements are not a trace or shadow of a past phenomenon, but rather a component present in Spanish culture whose features, far from being accessory or superficial, define the structure from which these buildings have been conceived. Avellaneda Palace reflects this problem in a surprisingly clear way, communicating the complexity and contradiction of a two-faced society. Communication, complexity, contradiction. It is obvious that this approach would not be possible without the contribution of the recently deceased Robert Venturi, so we propose a “Venturian” rereading of the work and its period.