VI. Painting in Spain. Not until the sixteenth century do we meet with what may be called a school of painting in Spain. The prevalence of Mahometanism was antagonistic to the development of pictorial art ; and when the Moors were finally overthrown the Roman Catholic religion brought with it the para- lysing influence of the Inquisition, beneath which it was impossible for art to progress. The first formation of the Spanish School appears to have been due to the settle- ment in Spain of Flemish artists ; but in its perfected character it showed considerable affinity with Italian art, especially with that of Naples and Venice — stamped, how- ever, with a gloomy asceticism peculiarly its own, from which even the best works of its greatest masters are not free. Faithful representations of Spanish life in the cloister, the palace, or the streets are plentiful ; and in this peculiarity we notice a resemblance to the English School, of which the Spanish has been designated as an anticipation. Juan Sanchez de Castro, about the middle of the fifteenth century founded the early school of Seville, which was afterwards to become so famous. His pictures have nearly all disappeared. The first distinguished Spanish painter was Antonio del Rincon (ab. 1446 — 1500). Of his few remaining works, the principal is his Life of the Virgin, in the church of Robledo, near Madrid : he appears to have had considerable power of design. Records exist of other early artists. " But these attempts only became an art when commerce and war had opened constant communications between EHA H H
