Spanish colonial art and architecture

Spanish colonial art and architecture, fl. 16th–early 19th cent., the artistic production of Spain's colonies in the New World. These works followed the historical development of styles previously established in Spain, but developed original features in different regions. The main centers were in Peru and Mexico, where there were skilled native artisans and relatively strong political organization. The style, with its unique mix of Spanish and indigenous elements, flourished until the last quarter of the 18th cent. when a current of neoclassicism invaded Latin America along with the official academies, and the great days of Spanish colonial architecture were over.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Andean Architecture
• Colonial Arts in the Andes
• Colonial Art in Central America
• Colonial Architecture in Central America
• Bibliography

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