Published in El Poder de la Imagen. Ideas y funciones de las representaciones artísticas

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Formalist currents tinged with nationalism in twentieth century historiography developed the idea of Toledo’s late Gothic architecture being imbued with elements and features from Hispano-Islamic architecture, especially in the case of one of its leading lights, the architect Juan Guas. This gave rise to descriptions of a specific, hispanicized style, which had modified its essentially Northern European characteristics. This essay analyses the gradual construction of the aforementioned historiographical viewpoint, its champions, and their arguments and methodological approach. The process can then be reconstructed, with a view to revisiting it and critically analysing underlying assumptions.