Valencian Art Nouveau

Valencian Art Nouveau (Spanish for modernismo valenciano, Valencian modernisme valencià), is the historiographic denomination given to an art and literature movement associated with the Art Nouveau in the Valencian Community, in Spain.

Its main form of expression was in architecture, but many other arts were involved (painting, sculpture, etc.), and especially the design and the decorative arts (cabinetmaking, carpentry, forged iron, ceramic tiles, ceramics, etc.), which were particularly important, especially in their role as support to architecture.

Although Art Nouveau was part of a general trend that emerged in Europe around the turn of the 20th century, in the Valencian Community the trend acquired its own unique personality in the context of spectacular urban and industrial development. It is equivalent to a number of other fin de siècle art movements going by the names of Art Nouveau in France and Belgium, Jugendstil in Germany, Sezession in Austria-Hungary, Liberty style in Italy and Modern or Glasgow Style in Scotland.

The Valencian Art Nouveau was active in the Valencian Community from roughly 1899 (art nouveau reform of the Glorieta Park in Alcoy) to 1917. The Modernisme movement in the Valencian Community is best known for its architectural expression, especially in the works of the architects Demetrio Ribes Marco and Francisco Mora Berenguer in Valencia or Vicente Pascual Pastor and Timoteo Briet Montaud in Alcoy, but was also significant in sculpture and painting. Notable art nouveau painters include Fernando Cabrera Cantó, Francisco Laporta Valor, Emilio Sala, Adolfo Morrió and Edmundo Jordá. A notable art nouveau sculptor was Lorenzo Ridaura Gosálbez.

On the other hand, there are several Valencian populations who form part of the Art Nouveau European Route,an association of local governments and non-governmental institutions for the international promotion and protection of Art Nouveau heritage. It is the case of Alcoy,Noveldaand Sueca.

Architecture
Early 20th century architecture in Valencian Community was strongly influenced by European Art Nouveau. The Valencian Art Nouveau takes place in different cities or areas, inside of a context of great industrial, economic and urban development: Alcoy and Valencia, by number of works, will be the main Valencian cities where much more was developed the art nouveau architecture. Novelda, Alicante, Burriana, Castellón de la Plana or Sueca are other cities with important examples of Valencian Art Nouveau architecture.

With Valencian local architects, all of them formed in Barcelona or Madrid and contemporaries to the Catalan Modernism and to the Art Nouveau of Madrid, but that exercised the main part of his career in the Valencian Community, the Valencian Art Nouveau will receive a special architectural relevancy in different Valencian cities.

The Mercado Central (English: Central Market) in Valencia, one of the largest in Europe, covers more than 8,000 square metres, over two floors, with a predominantly Valencian Art Nouveau style. Its unusual roof comprises original domes and sloping sections at different heights, while the interior seems to be lined in a range of materials such as iron, wood, ceramics and polychromed tiles. The beauty of the building stands out especially on account of the light that enters through the roof at various points, and through coloured window panels.

The Estación del Norte (English: North Station) is the main railway station in Valencia located in the city centre next to the Plaza de Toros de Valencia. It was declared Good of Cultural Heritage in 1987.

The Mercado de Colón (English: Columbus Market) is a public market located in the city center of Valencia. The building was designed by the Valencian architect Francisco Mora Berenguer between 1914 and 1916. This is a clear example of Valencian Art Nouveau architecture of the early century. It was declared a national monument. It impresses with its extraordinary facade and lavish decor.

Main buildings of the Valencian Art Nouveau
Between the works of the Valencian modernisme stand out:

Province of Alicante

Alcoy:

Main article: Art Nouveau in Alcoy
Casa del Pavo, work of Vicente Pascual Pastor, (1909).
Casa d’Escaló, work of Vicente Pascual Pastor, (1906-1908).
Circulo Industrial de Alcoy, work of Timoteo Briet Montaud, (1909-1911).
Casa Laporta, work of Timoteo Briet Montaud, (1904)
Campus of Alcoy of the Technical University of Valencia, work of Vicente Pascual Pastor.
Casa Vilaplana, work of Vicente Pascual Pastor, (1906).
Casa Briet, work of Timoteo Briet Montaud, (1910).
Hydroelectrics substation of Alcoy, work of Timoteo Briet Montaud, (1910).
Canalejas Viaduct
Monte de Piedad y Caja de Ahorros de Alcoy
Casa Mataix
Edificio en calle Sant Llorenç 3
Edificio en calle Sant Llorenç 5
Edificio en calle Sant Llorenç 27
Edificio en calle Sant Nicolau 4
Edificio en calle Sant Nicolau 29
Edificio en calle Sant Nicolau 35
Cocheras en plaza Emili Sala 12
Edificio en avenida País Valencià 30
Edificio en calle Capellà Belloch 9
Edificio en calle Sant Josep 26
Edificios en calle Pintor Casanova 16, 18 y 20
Edificios en calle Bartolomé José Gallardo 1, 3 y 5
La Glorieta de Alcoy
Fábricas en calle Sant Joan 43 y 45
Edificio del Parque de Bomberos
Taller de carruajes en calle Agres 5
Fábrica en calle Agres 8
Fábrica en calle Alcoleja 4
Matadero municipal de Alcoy
Fuente de El Molinar de Alcoy
Alcoy Cemetery, Art nouveau pantheons and sculptures.

Alicante:

Mercado Central de Alicante
Casa Carbonell
Casa del Ascensor
Edificio Torrent
Casa Campos Carrera
Casa de las Brujas

Novelda:
Santuario de Santa María Magdalena
Art Nouveau House-Museum, work of Pedro Cerdán (1900-1904).
Centro Cultural Gómez-Tortosa
Casa Mira

Orihuela:
Casa Villaescusa
Teatro Circo
Lonja de Orihuela
Plaza Nueva
Centro Cultural Miguel Hernández
Templete de Música
Casa de San Gregorio
Casa Raimundo
Edificio clínica de los Santos Médicos

Villena:
Chapí Theatre

Province of Castellón

Benicarló:
Casa Bosch

Burriana
Orange Museum
Circulo Frutero Burrianense

Castellón de la Plana:
Edificio de Correos de Castellón
Edificio de Les Cigonyes
Edificio Academia la Purísima
Edificio Dávalos
Transformador de Viuda de Estela

Vinaròs
Casa Giner
Casa Sendra

Province of Valencia

Alzira:

Almacén de los hermanos Peris Puig

Carcaixent
Almacén de José Ribera

Gandia
Palacete París
Teatro Serrano

Sueca:
Asilo de ancianos de Sueca
Ateneo Suecano del Socorro

Valencia:
North Station
Central Market of Valencia
Mercado de Colón
Light fountain of the Exposición Regional Valenciana
Bridge of the Exposición Regional Valenciana 1909
Edificio de Correos
Palacio de la Exposición de Valencia
Hospital asilo de San Juan de Dios
Edificio Ferrer
Casa del Punto de Gancho
Edificio Monforte
Edificio Sánchez de León
Casa de los Dragones
Casa Ordeig
Casa Ortega
Edificio Chapa
Edificio Gómez I
Edificio Gómez II
Edificio Grau
Palacete de Ayora
Edificio Francisco Sancho
Edificio Suay
Casa Noguera
Casa Tarín
Casa Boldún
Hotel Reina Victoria
Casa Peris
Edificio Aznar
Edificio Bolinches
Hotel Palace
Casa de las Golondrinas
Edificio Cortina
Casa de Salvador Llop
Edificio Olympia
Industria Lanera Valenciana
Edificio de Tabacalera
Balneario de la Alameda
Convento de Santa Clara
Central Eléctrica de Nou Moles
Cinematógrafos Caro
Tinglados del Puerto de Valencia
Edificio del Reloj
Casa-Museo de Blasco Ibáñez, etc.

Xàtiva:
Edificio Botella

Valencian Art Nouveau architects
The main architects of the Valencian Art Nouveau movement by each city are:

Province of Alicante
Alcoy: Vicente Pascual Pastor, Timoteo Briet Montaud, etc.
Alicante: Francisco Fajardo Guardiola, Juan Vidal Ramos and Enrique Sánchez Sedeño.
Novelda: José Sala Sala and Pedro Cerdán.
Orihuela: Severiano Sánchez Ballesta.

Province of Castellón
Castellón de la Plana: Demetrio Ribes Marco, Godofredo Ros de Ursinos and José Gimeno Almela.

Province of Valencia
Alzira: Emilio Ferrer Gisbert
Gandia: Víctor Beltrí
Sueca: Buenaventura Ferrando Castells
Valencia: Francisco Mora Berenguer, Demetrio Ribes Marco, José María Manuel Cortina Pérez, Antonio Martorell Trilles, Vicente Ferrer Pérez, Emilio Ferrer Gisbert, Pelegrín Mustieles Cano, Manuel Peris Ferrando, Alexandre Soler, Francesc Guàrdia i Vial, Enrique Viedma Vidal, Manuel García Sierra, Vicente Rodríguez Martín, Ramón Lucini Callejo, Luis Ferreres Soler, Vicente Sancho Fuster, Carlos Carbonell Pañella, Lucas García Cardona, Francisco Almenar Quinzá, etc.

Modernist painting and design
In the Valencian Community at the beginning of the 20th century, different painters, illustrators and illustrators will work for the thriving Valencian industry. These will adopt the new art nouveau style for advertising.

In Valencia, painters and illustrators such as José Benlliure Ortiz and Luis Dubón will create works, advertising and posters for the Valencian industry.

Another good example is that of Alcoy artists who work for Alcoyan paper companies (Bambú, Papeleras Reunidas, etc). This is the case of the Alcoyanos Francisco Laporta Valor , Emilio Sala , Adolfo Morrió , Edmundo Jordá or José Mataix Monllor , who carried out a prolific diffusion of modernism in the field of design, engraving or illustration.

Source from Wikipedia