Italian vs Spanish culture (German, Greek, Sicilian, features)

[italianuser]

Originally Posted by Josef K.

That's one thing which struck me when visiting and comparing the two countries. Spain comes across as a bit more orderly and evenly developed.

Yes, everytime I visit Spain I am shocked: in fact italian cities look WORSE, as if they were poorer... even Rome and Milan (the two most important italian cities) are uncomparable to Madrid and Barcelona...

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by italianuser

Yes, everytime I visit Spain I am shocked: in fact italian cities look WORSE, as if they were poorer... even Rome and Milan (the two most important italian cities) are uncomparable to Madrid and Barcelona...

I think Italian cities are known to be chaotic and a bit shabby. Spanish cities have more orderly designs based about the piazza.

[bailarina]

In my personal experience, italians are more extroverts. And i agree with joseph, it´s a good analysis, spanish culture has something of morbid that it´s reflected in the art, while italian culture seems more armonic and cheerful.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by bailarina

In my personal experience, italians are more extroverts. And i agree with joseph, it´s a good analysis, spanish culture has something of morbid that it´s reflected in the art, while italian culture seems more armonic and cheerful.

Is there also a surreal element in Spanish art, like Salvador Dali or Joan Miro?

[bailarina]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Is there also a surreal element in Spanish art, like Salvador Dali or Joan Miro?

Yes, to me, spanish art it´s more disturbed.

[Manolón]

I would also point out that (from what I've read and heard), there are significant differences between Southern and Northern Italy, the latter having been industrialized earlier and hence wealthier. From my travels in Spain and subsequent reading, I know that there are significant regional differences too in Spain, between Catalonia and Andalusia, for example.

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The difference among Spanish regions are not that extreme as in Italy. You will not find significant regional differences (economical) between Spanish regions.

Just 25 years ago everything was diferent.

Now Andalusia or Extremadura have better infrastructures, roads and health that many Catalan regions.

Spanish people are more "orderly", militarised, "grave", Italians are more outspoken, creative.

In fact, both nations are very similar.

Italians are not considered foreigners here, they are considered as belonging to some Spanish region....probably because large parts of Italy were part of Spain during long centuries, the Church and a long etcetera.

The language, Italian and Spanish are mutually intelligible.

[Manolón]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Is there also a surreal element in Spanish art, like Salvador Dali or Joan Miro?

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Can't compare, Italian art is far superior.
Spanish art is truffled by isolated geniuses; Velazquez, Murillo, Ribera, Goya, Soroya....
But Italy has been an explosion during the last 2.500 years.
In fact, they have so many monuments and works of art that the entire EEC does not have enought budget to protect it.

[Josef K.]

Originally Posted by Manolón

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Can't compare, Italian art is far superior.
.

In quantity, sure. Italy's cultural heritage is so extensive and historically deep that it sometimes overwhelms visitors. There's even a term for that:

Stendhal syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However, Spain produced some great artists in its own right, even if the sheer quantity of artwork isn't enough to make you faint.

[Trimac20]

I would say Spaniards feature more prominently in modern art, while Italians are unparalleled in terms of Classical Art.

Da Vinci or Picasso

Michelangelo or Gaudi

It's a matter of taste who you prefer. My favourite artist, though, is probably Salvador Dali. Gaudi is one of my favourite architects and one of the reasons why I want to visit Barcelona so badly.

[Tom9]

The Moorish domination of Sicily and parts of Southern Italy lasted some 200-250 years. That's the length of US history as a nation. The influence is felt but perhaps not as strongly as in parts of Spain. But even in Spain Moorish domination does not mean the entire Iberian peninsula. Catalunya was only under Moors for some 60 years and Asturias was never conquered by the Moorish armies at all.