Architects of Madrid: José Benito de Churriguera
The transition between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is marked politically by the decline and end of the Habsburgs, and architecturally and artistically by the influence of the so-called Castilian or traditional Baroque. The style will evolve towards the ornamental and the ornate, and will end up adopting the name of the most representative family of the moment: the “churrigueresco”, in honor of José Benito de Churriguera and his brothers Joaquín and Alberto. The “churrigueresco” style would continue in Madrid especially with Pedro de Ribera, with whom he worked in the first phase of the construction of the Conde-Duque or the church of San Cayetano.
Brief biographical sketch
Jose Benito de Churriguera (Madrid, 1665 - Madrid, 1725)
José Benito was born in 1665 in Madrid, on Mesón de Paredes street, 2, into a family of renowned architects, sculptors and altarpieces, which will mark his training and becoming a professional.
With 24 years, and surpassing candidates like Claudio Coello, wins the contest to raise the work that will give him fame: the burial mound of Queen Maria Luisa, first wife of Charles II (the last king Austria).
The following year, he was appointed assistant plotter of royal works under the command of Teodoro Ardemans, although he would not work. After supporting the losing side during the War of Succession, he would be exiled from the court, although he would return years later.
José Benito became one of the great architects of Madrid, valued in his time. His style of great baroque, especially as a decorator, is represented in the monumental altarpiece made between 1720 and 1724 that is preserved in the church of Calatravas. This is the last of his works because "the best altarpiece inside and outside Madrid", according to the architect Teodoro Ardemans, would die the following year.
At the death of José Benito, the legacy of the Churriguera, very present in cities such as Salamanca, will be maintained during part of the eighteenth century through the work of his brothers and their children Nicolás and Jerónimo, also architects.
Works
Between 1701-1707 José Benito de Churriguera erected a series of shell-type altarpieces by virtue of its concave plan, suitable for adapting to the shape of the apse. The most important in the series is the altarpiece of the Transfiguration of the church of San Salvador de Leganés, restored by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage of the Community of Madrid in 1990. The success achieved led to the commissioning of the side altarpieces as well, with oval rococo shapes. He also took part in the Main Altarpiece of the Church of Las Calatravas, and in that of San Esteban in the church of Fuenlabrada
To speak of the Churriguera architect is to speak of the Goyeneche, a wealthy family of businessmen and bankers of Navarre origin linked to the royal house who, in addition to being a friend, was its patron. He built two very important works, the town of Nuevo Baztán and his residence in Madrid, the Goyeneche Palace, current headquarters of the San Fernando Royal Academy and Museum of Fine Arts on Calle de Alcalá No. 13.
The Nuevo Baztan complex was one of the first new industrial towns that emerged in Spain at the beginning of the XNUMXth century. Churriguera resolved its configuration by means of an original rotational system of concatenated squares, locked by the corners, around which the palace and the church are arranged around which the urban nucleus is arranged.
It enjoyed great economic and social success until the competition of European pre-industrial productions and the death of Goyeneche in 1735 plunged the whole into a spiral of decadence and abandonment.
With this project it is tried to implant in Madrid the principles of the colbertismo, an economic system of French origin that, in broad strokes, defended the self-production to avoid importations, to promote the proximity consumption and to foment the export.
Nuevo Baztán was born as an experiment: a place of production (drinks, soap, fabrics or glass) to meet the needs of Madrid, a few km away, which also included housing for workers, recreation areas, market, industrial areas (ovens, workshops , etc.) and agricultural exploitation. All this articulated around the family residence, the palace and the adjacent church, creating a heterogeneous complex in which remains of the Castilian Baroque can still be seen.
In Madrid and also for the family, he will project the magnificent Goyeneche palace on Calle Alcalá, which would also serve as a warehouse for the exportable glass that Nuevo Baztán produced. When he died in 1725, his brother Alberto was in charge of finishing the work. From 1773 the building changed hands, facade (adapting to neoclassical taste) and function: it became the headquarters of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando. The remodelings removed most of Churriguera's work. However, a trompe l'oeil made from the drawing of the original door, located a few years ago, reminds us of its appearance.
In the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando are also preserved several of his drawings, with designs in Indian ink, with touches of gold, an example of his great talent as a draftsman.
The palace project in Madrid is dated around 1715. José Benito died in 1725, before finishing it, so that his children finished the work.
In 1773 the building was acquired to seat the Royal Academy of San Fernando and reformed by Diego de Villanueva (brother of Juan) that suppressed all Baroque details although much of the structure devised by Churriguera is preserved.
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