In Spanish many terms of French origin are used. This fact is due to two obvious reasons, the geographical proximity and the cultural influence of France in the Spanish territory. The word atelier is a good example of this. This word means workshop, but it must be noted that it does not refer to any type of workshop, but exclusively to the space used by artists to carry out their creative activity.
The term atelier is synonymous with an artistic studio or workshop. In other languages, for example in English, the word workshop or atelier is used interchangeably.
The typical image of an atelier
Many artists develop their work in these private spaces dedicated to creation. In them the artist can work alone or with a series of disciples. In any case, in these workshops all the necessary preparations are made to create a work of art. Thus, in a painting atelier, drawing sessions are carried out with natural models, mixing paints, preparing sketches, etc.
The concept of atelier can be applied to very diverse manual or craft activities: haute couture, photography, painting, sculpture, ceramics, etc. It could be said that this space is the artists' laboratory and they experiment with raw materials related to art.
The artist's atelier is a place that has also been described as a dream factory or a microcosm of art. We must not forget that these places have been represented in paintings and photographs and in some cases the original workshops of the artists are preserved to know the place where they found inspiration.
They are places that normally present a messy, chaotic and magical image. In the atelier the artist is alone with his ideas and his work materials and the aesthetics of the place are totally secondary. When the artistic work is finally finished it will have to occupy a very different space, for example an art gallery, a museum or a living room.
Terms of French culture incorporated into the Spanish language
In the field of gastronomy, many words of French origin are used, such as aperitif, baguette, barbecue, béchamel, mis en place, consommé or gourmet. In the culture in general we find a wide vocabulary with French roots, such as ballot, vedete, ballet, collage, cabaret, glamor or tour.
Photos: Fotolia - Jacob Lund / Denis Aglichev
