In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered that the world was much larger than Europeans had previously believed. His expeditions to the Americas, and the often destructive colonization and evangelization that followed, helped the Spanish monarchs to amass a great fortune based on indigenous labor and natural resources.
1400 - 1600
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Stretching from Europe to the Philippines, the Spanish Empire amassed great wealth—and spent lavishly on art.
The severe exterior of this palace complex belies its highly decorative interior, once filled with art.
Wild! Everything seems transient in this otherworldly scene, but El Greco’s bold colors stay with us.
Is that a Van Gogh? Centuries ahead of its time, this radical cityscape captures external and internal conflict.
One of art history’s most famous paintings, this scene remains mysterious. Are we outside at night, or in a chapel?