in the spain's Golden Age encompassed more than two centuries between the 16 th and the 17 th centuries. The Spanish novel became universally popular with the publication of Miguel de Cervantes' 'Don Quixote'. Poetry reached its zenith with the adaptation of Italian lyrical poetry into Castilian. The Golden Age also saw the rise of two eminent painters Domenikos Theotokopoulos better known as 'El Greco' and Diego Velazques. The elaborate Baroque style which was imported from Italy was a major influence on Italian art and architecture during the 18 th century. With the Bourbons came the Age of Enlightenment in Spain ,science too was given the same stature which art and architecture enjoyed,and thus science made significant progress. But progress in science demanded a heavy price in the form of decline in fine arts.
With the 19 th century came Romanticism and Spain culture witnessed an overwhelming liberal movement in all fields. An exponent of this movement was Spain 's first Nobel Laureate Jose Echegary. Romanticism gave rise to subsequent naturalistic and realistic ideas in literature. The turn of the century however brought about important development in the field of medicine and gave Spain Santiago Ramon y Cajal, a Nobel winner in medicine. The 1920's however is most noteworthy not only in Spanish history but in the history of the world. This modernist culture together with avant-gardism lasted in Spain till the Civil War. Eminent figures like Isaac Albeniz and Enrique Granados, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Luis Bunuel rose to prominence. Picasso, Dali and Bunuel's art Albeniz and Granados' music signaled the winds of change in Spain . But the Civil War soon tried to subdue their voices and art but was unsuccessful as at the end of the Civil War they consciously created a new radical culture of Spain which gathered motivation from realism and the avant-garde. Cinema was new driving influence in the 1940's. The
Spain culture
would not achieve the right to express individual ideas until the creation of a democratic Constitution in 1978.
Spain culture
would remain incomplete without mentioning two of the most popular Culture and Customs of Spain
: Flamenco and Bullfighting. These are two names synonymous with Spain throughout the world and hence have become a part of its culture. They are an important part of any Fiesta or carnival in Spain . Traditionally Flamenco is an intense artistic expression which originated in southern Spain but gained worldwide popularity when it became an operatic form. The other popular Culture and Customs of Spain
among the people of Spain are bullfighting has its first mention as a sport during the Greek and Roman periods. The bullring however has a Celti-Iberian origin and became more popular among the poorer sections in the 19 th century.
Both these popular Culture and Customs of Spain
are regarded as Spain culture
by the Spanish people and more than a sport its lovers consider them as typical art forms of Spain . Besides these popular customs Spain is also renowned throughout the world for its gastronomical delicacies and the hospitality of its people .
