The contemporary history of Spain in the light of the visual arts and cinema

Language

Spanish

Prerequisites

Students have reached a B1+ proficiency in Spanish. 

Main themes

The course presents a historical journey from the 19th to the 21st century, focusing on the cultural implications of political, social and economic transformations. The main stages of Spanish history from the 19th to the 21st century are analysed on the basis of written, iconographic, artistic and cinematographic documents. 

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Master the main aspects and stages of Spanish history in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries;
2	Replace a Spanish work of art or film in its historical context.
This learning unit contributes to the development and command of the following skills and learning outcomes of the ELAL programmes: 4.3

Content

The course alternates lectures on the major stages of Spanish history in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries with close-ups of the most significant cultural trends, presented on the basis of an significant work of art. 

1. The century of political instability (1808-1875). Goya and the War of Independence. 
2. Restoration Spain (1875-1931). Sorolla and Zuloaga in fin-de-siècle Spain. Luis Buñuel and Dalí on the threshold of the thirties. 
3. The crises of the 1930s. Culture and war: the Spanish pavilion at the Paris Universal Exhibition. 
4. The Franco years (1939-1975). Antonio Saura's painting. Carlos Saura's cinema. 
5. The transition to democracy. The Movida and its descendants. 
6. Spain and the autonomous regions. Basque and Catalan cinema in the 21st century. 

Teaching methods

The course alternates lectures on the political and cultural history of the studied period with analyses of written, iconographic and cinematographic documents. 

Evaluation methods

Continuous assessment and written exam 

Faculty or entity

> ELAL