La “tosca blanca”. Su presencia en el patrimonio. Uso específico en Escultura

Abstract

“Tosca blanca” is the name given to trachytic and phonolitic tuffs in Tenerife, these materials make up and characterize the South-West of the island (Arico, Granadilla, San Miguel, Adeje, etc.). These are effusive igneous materials coming from evolved magmas that usually show vesicular texture, with different levels of compaction; The deposits can be homogeneous, of several meters of power or, in many occasions, conformed by superimposed layers, of variable textures. This rock has high significance at the heritage level: constructive uses dating from the 15th century, these uses find precedents in the aboriginal stage. It is also suitable material for new aesthetic and environmental approaches, with broad expectations in bioclimatic architecture. In sculpture, we have important works made with this stone, highlights the monumental works, made in the last two decades of the twentieth and twenty-first century. However, the “tosca blanca” has been the subject of few studies, both technical and historical and artistic scientific level. In the present work: -we inquire about the characteristics of the material, with references to active quarry; - we analyze architectural and ornamental, heritage and recent examples; - we review the sculptural work made in this type of Stone, reflecting on the possibilities offered at the compositional and formal level.