Valencian Art Nouveau

Sanctuary of Holy Maria Magdalena, in Novelda (Alicante).

Palace of the Valencian Regional Exposition, in Valencia, 1908.

General post office building in Castellón.

Villaescusa building, in Orihuela (Alicante).

Balcony of the Casa Ortega, in Valencia.

Window of the Ferrer building, in Valencia.

Stairs of the Art Nouveau House-Museum of Novelda (Alicante).

Art Nouveau library of the Circulo Industrial de Alcoy, in Alcoy (Alicante).

Window of the Palace of the Valencian Regional Exposition, in Valencia, 1908.

Dome of the Central Market, in Valencia.

Stained glass window at the Circulo Industrial de Alcoy.

Poster of the Valencian Regional Exhibition of 1909, work of Vicente Climent Navarro.

Valencian Art Nouveau (Spanish: 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 from roughly 1899 (Art Nouveau reform of the Glorieta Park in Alcoy) to 1917. The Art Nouveau 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 painters include Fernando Cabrera Cantó, Francisco Laporta Valor, Emilio Sala, Adolfo Morrió and Edmundo Jordá. A notable sculptor was Lorenzo Ridaura Gosálbez.

On the other hand, there are several Valencian populations who form part of the Art Nouveau European Route,^[1] 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,^[2] Novelda^[3] and Sueca.^[4]

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.^[5]

The Mercado Central (transl. 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.^[6]

The Estación del Norte (transl. 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 (transl. 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.^[7]

Main buildings of the Valencian Art Nouveau

Between the works of the Valencian modernisme stand out:

Province of Alicante

Alcoy (by districts)

City Center

Casa del Pavo
Casa d'Escaló
Circulo Industrial de Alcoy
Casa Laporta
Campus of Alcoy of the Technical University of Valencia
Casa Vilaplana
Casa Briet
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
Kiosk of Art Nouveau style at the Plaza de la Constitución

Ensanche-Santa Rosa

Hydroelectrics substation of Alcoy
Taller de carruajes en calle Agres 5
Fábrica en calle Agres 8
Fábrica en calle Alcoleja 4
Slaughterhouse of Alcoy

El Camí-Zona Alta

Casa El Camí 1
Fábrica de "El Rosendo"
Fábrica en calle Sant Vicent Ferrer 12

Outskirts

Fuente de El Molinar de Alcoy
Alcoy Cemetery, Art nouveau pantheons and sculptures.

Alicante

Central Market of Alicante
Lonja del Pescado
Casa Lamaignere
Casa Carbonell
Casa del Ascensor
Edificio Torrent
Casa Campos Carrera
Casa de las Brujas

Novelda:

Santuario de Santa María Magdalena
Art Nouveau House-Museum
Centro Cultural Gómez-Tortosa
Sociedad Cultural Casino de Novelda
Casa Mira

Orihuela:

Casa Villaescusa
Teatro Circo
Lonja de Orihuela

Torrevieja:

Casino de Torrevieja

Villena:

Chapí Theatre

Province of Castellón

Les Alqueries:

Chalé de Safont

Benicarló:

Casa Bosch

Benicàssim:

Villa Victoria

Burriana:

Orange Museum
Circulo Frutero Burrianense

Castellón de la Plana

Edificio de Correos de Castellón
Casa de les Cigonyes
Casa Dávalos
Casa Alcón
Edificio Academia la Purísima
Transformador de Viuda de Estela
Quiosco modernista de la plaza de la Paz

Vila-real:

Almacén de Cabrera

Vinaròs:

Casa Giner
Casa Sendra

Province of Valencia

Alfafar:

Sindicato Arrocero de Alfafar

Alginet:

Market of Alginet
Slaughterhouse of Alginet

Almàssera:

Casa Llopis

Alzira:

Almacén de los hermanos Peris Puig
Círculo Alcireño

Bocairent

Hotel L'Ágora

Carcaixent

Almacén de José Ribera
Market of Carcaixent
Casa Vernich
Casa Talens

Catadau:

Centro Católico Social

Cullera:

Market of Cullera

Foios:

Escuelas Municipales de Foios

Gandia:

Palace París
Serrano Theater

Ontinyent:

Hotel Kazar

Requena:

Finca Casa Nueva

Sueca:

Asilo de ancianos de Sueca
Ateneo Suecano del Socorro
Casa de Pascual Fos
Escuelas Jardín del Ateneo
Casas de Ignacia Cardona
Slaughterhouse of Sueca

Valencia (by districts)

Ciutat Vella-City Center

North Station
Central Market of Valencia
Casa Ordeig
General post office (Correos)
Edificio Suay
Casa Noguera
Casa Ernesto Ferrer
Casa Boldún
Casa Bigné
Hotel Reina Victoria
Edificio Aznar
Casa Tarín
Edificio Lucini
Casa del Punto de Gancho
Palacio de Fuentehermosa
Casa Peris
Edificio Monforte
Edificio Sánchez de León
Casa Sancho
Edificio Grau
Edificio Gómez I
Edificio Gómez II
Hotel Palace
Edificio Bolinches
Edificio Olympia
Cinematógrafos Caro

L'Eixample

Mercado de Colón
Edificio Ferrer
Edificio Cortina I
Edificio Francisco Sancho
Casa Ortega
Casa de las Golondrinas
Casa de los Dragones
Edificio Chapa
Edificio Cortina Pérez
Casa de Salvador Llop
Casa Manuel Peris
Edificio Peris

Exposició-Mestalla

Valencia Regional Exhibition
Light fountain of the Exposición Regional Valenciana
Bridge of the Exposición Regional Valenciana 1909
Palace of the Exposición
Industria Lanera Valenciana
Edificio de Tabacalera
Balneario de la Alameda

Port of Valencia-El Cabanyal

Tinglados del Puerto de Valencia
Edificio del Reloj
Casa Calabuig
Hospital asilo de San Juan de Dios
Lonja de Pescado del Cabanyal
El Casinet
Casa Ribes
House-Museum Blasco Ibáñez

Ayora

Palace of Ayora

L'Olivereta-Nou Moles

Convent of Santa Clara
Central Eléctrica de Nou Moles

Vilanova de Castelló

Asilo de Santo Domingo
Mercado de Vilanova de Castelló

Xàtiva:

Edificio Botella