Subscribe
to the E-Star!

Missions show strong Roman influence

Sal Maccarone: How Art Shapes Our Life

Sal Maccarone

(Updated: Monday, December 27, 2010, 12:24 PM)

In order to begin a study of the "mission style," one needs to go back to 18th century Spain. At that time, the desire of the king and founding Spanish priests was to emulate notable buildings from within their homeland.

Of course, here in unsettled America they were limited to the construction materials that existed naturally on the mission sites -- vernacular architecture. As in the architecture of Spain, the California missions exhibited a strong Roman influence in terms of their design and building techniques.

The priests, who were not trained in design, did their best to recreate the buildings that were depicted in the Spanish paintings of the time. Although, during the design phase for Mission Santa Barbara, works of First Century B.C. Roman architect Vitruvius were consulted. While the 21 mission complexes built between 1769 and 1823 are each unique unto themselves, they all employed the same building techniques.

All things considered, the padres did an amazing job, and it was all achieved through the helpful efforts of unskilled laborers. These factors, coupled with the use of only three basic elements -- timber, stone and adobe -- all contributed to this rustic yet graceful style.

In the late 1870s, an illustrator named Henry Chapman Ford, who had settled in Santa Barbara, began creating a portfolio of paintings of California Missions. His renderings, done in both watercolor and oil, were in part responsible for renewed interest in the missions, and what is now known -- especially in architecture -- as the Mission Revival style. This trend also carried over into art, furnishings and stained glass as a number of national publications began to glorify the style.

The movement was most popular during 1890s and lasted until about 1915. Where furniture is concerned, the mission revival style coincided with the international arts and crafts movement.

Both styles advocated simple forms, use of the best materials and above all, traditional craftsmanship.