plateresque

American  

[plat-uh-resk] / ˌplæt əˈrɛsk /

adjective

(sometimes initial capital letter)

1. noting or pertaining to a 16th-century style of Spanish architecture characterized by profuse applications of delicate low-relief Renaissance ornament to isolated parts of building exteriors.

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Etymology

Origin of plateresque

1835–45; < Spanish plateresco, equivalent to plater ( o ) silversmith ( plat ( a ) silver; platina + -ero < Latin -ārius -ary ) + -esco -esque; so called because the heavy ornamentation of the style suggested decorated silverwork

Example Sentences

The intricate stonework is a great example of Spain’s Plateresque style, represented by delicate, detail-packed, filigree-like carvings.

From Seattle Times

But even this greatest Christian spot in Granada, with its lacy filigree style known as Plateresque for the influence of Moorish silverwork, shines with the artistic legacy of the Moors.

From Washington Post

The architect of the Escorial who designed this, Herrera, gave his name to the pseudo-classic style, "art made tongue-tied by authority," that followed the Plateresque abuse of ornament, just as his in turn was succeeded by the fantastic prancing art of Churriguera, again a reaction.

From Project Gutenberg

This short period is called Plateresque, from platero, silversmith, for its elaborate surface decoration of scrolls, medallions, and heraldic ornament is sublimated smith's work.

From Project Gutenberg

As it and Salamanca were the two places where the silversmith's art flourished, so they are the two centers for the best Plateresque buildings.

From Project Gutenberg