Nothing is what it seems. About Mudéjar: Romanticism, monumental protection and historical identities

Abstract

Mudéjar is considered a settled style inside the heterogeneous reality of Spanish Medieval Art, even so, in a first approach could seem a permitted label inside the most traditional Art History development, actually it was created in a very specifically context, with Romanticism and Historicism, within the intention of get close to other previous periods from the Middle Ages that were previously rejected. A new way to classify the monuments that were built after the christian conquest as well as an intention to give some answers to the complex national historical reality that gave new ideas about constructions but without a clear development inside the traditional Art History timeline. Inside some traditional and new historical and artistic perspectives, mudéjar style constitutes a particular case of study that was established by José Amador de los Ríos during the XIXth century. This article contemplates the process of edition and transformation that national architecture did with Romanticism in relationship with the heritage conservation and how mudéjar was a singular style to try a first classification and protection of Islamic Medieval Art as a constant

research for a longed national identity. A label with many conventionalisms presented and revised for a better signification inside its context, referring to different studies that will try to give a global idea of the term and update the topic to modern academic references.