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Churriguera.
Spanish family of artists. Their most important work was executed between 1675 and 1750, when they created a decorative style known as CHURRIGUERESQUE, which can be considered the culmination of the Spanish Baroque. After the death of Josep de Xuriguera, a carpenter and wood-carver from Barcelona, his son José Simón de Churriguera (‘the elder’; d 1679) became the stepson of José Ratés Dalmau, a sculptor and wood-carver also from Barcelona. They set up a workshop together in Madrid (c. 1662). In 1674 they were contracted to construct the altarpiece (destr. 1903; fragments in situ) of the hospital of Montserrat; this had large solomonic columns and profuse decoration that signalled the family style. Among José Simón’s five sons were (1) José Benito de Churriguera, (2) Joaquín de Churriguera and (3) Alberto de Churriguera. José Benito’s sons, Nicolás Churriguera and Jerónimo Churriguera (d 1731), were both trained as architects and wood-carvers in the Madrid workshop and continued their father’s work at the church (destr.) of the Colegio de S Tomás, Madrid. Of José Simón’s other grandsons (by his daughter, Mariana, and the sculptor José de Larra), Manuel de Larra Churriguera (b Salamanca; d Salamanca, 1755) was an architect. He worked after 1735 on the design of his uncle, (3) Alberto, for the Plaza Mayor, Salamanca, and in Ciudad Rodrigo on the chapel of the Virgen de los Dolores in the cathedral and on the convent of the Discalced Franciscans. Manuel’s brother, José de Larra Churriguera (b Salamanca, 1706; d Lisbon, after 1768), worked as a sculptor and goldsmith in Lisbon during the reign of John V, King of Portugal. The following members have entries:
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