65 – Alhambra. Granada, Spain. Nasrid Dynasty. 1354-1391 C.E., Whitewashed adobe, stucco, wood, tile, paint, and gilding. (4 images)
“the red female” – reflects the color of red clay of which the fort is made built originally as a medieval stronghold – castle, palace, and residential annex for subordinates o citadel is the oldest part, then the Moorish rulers(Nasrid) palaces . . . palace of Charles V (smaller Renaissance) built where part of the original Alhambra (including original main entrance) was torn down Royal complex had (for the wives and mistresses): running water (cold and hot) and pressurized water for showering – bathroom were open to the elements to allow light and air Court of the Lions o Oblong courtyard (116 x 66 ft) with surrounding gallery supported on 124 white marble columns (irregularly placed), filigree wall o Fountain – figures of twelve lions: symbols of strength, power, and sovereignty . Poem on fountain (written by Ibn Zamrak) praises the beauty of fountain and the power of the lions and describes the ingeious hydraulic systems –which baffled all who saw them (that made each of the lions in turn produce water from its mouth – one each hour) reflection of the culture of the last centuries of the Moorish rule of Al Andalus, reduced to the Nasrid Emirate of Granada (conquered by Spanish Christians in 1392) Artistic choices: reproduced the same forms and trends + creating a new style o Isolation from rest of Islam + relations with Christian kingdoms influenced building styles o No master plan for the total site o Muslim art in its final European stages – only consistent theme: “paradise on earth” o Red, blue, and a golden yellow (faded by time and exposure) are main colors o Decoration: mostly Arabic inscriptions made into geometric patterns made into arabesques (rhythmic linear patterns)
Court of the Lions
Hall of the Sisters