International Journal of Geo-Information Article Digital Graphic Documentation and Architectural Heritage: Deformations in a 16th-Century Ceiling of the Pinelo Palace in Seville (Spain) Juan Francisco Reinoso-Gordo 1,* , Antonio Gámiz-Gordo 2 and Pedro Barrero-Ortega 3 1 Architectural and Engineering Graphic Expression, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain 2 Architectural Graphic Expression, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain; [email protected] 3 Graphic Expression in Building Engineering, University of Seville, 41012 Seville, Spain; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +34-958-249-485 Abstract: Suitable graphic documentation is essential to ascertain and conserve architectural heritage. For the first time, accurate digital images are provided of a 16th-century wooden ceiling, composed of geometric interlacing patterns, in the Pinelo Palace in Seville. Today, this ceiling suffers from significant deformation. Although there are many publications on the digital documentation of architectural heritage, no graphic studies on this type of deformed ceilings have been presented. This study starts by providing data on the palace history concerning the design of geometric interlacing patterns in carpentry according to the 1633 book by López de Arenas, and on the ceiling consolidation in the 20th century. Images were then obtained using two complementary procedures: from a 3D laser scanner, which offers metric data on deformations; and from photogrammetry, which facilitates Citation: Reinoso-Gordo, J.F.; the visualisation of details. In this way, this type of heritage is documented in an innovative graphic Gámiz-Gordo, A.; Barrero-Ortega, P. approach, which is essential for its conservation and/or restoration with scientific foundations and Digital Graphic Documentation and also to disseminate a reliable digital image of the most beautiful ceiling of this Renaissance palace in Architectural Heritage: Deformations southern Europe. in a 16th-Century Ceiling of the Pinelo Palace in Seville (Spain). ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2021, 10, 85. Keywords: ceiling; 16th century; Pinelo; palace; Seville; deformation; scanner; photogrammetry https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi10020085 Academic Editors: Sara Gonizzi Barsanti, Mario Santana Quintero and 1. Introduction Wolfgang Kainz 1.1. Short History of the Pinelo Palace in Seville (Spain) The Renaissance palace of the Pinelo family is located in an urban framework of me- Received: 9 January 2021 dieval origin, on a corner where Abades and Segovias streets intersect, near the Cathedral Accepted: 17 February 2021 of Seville and the popular neighbourhood of Santa Cruz (Figure1a). It was built in around Published: 19 February 2021 1500 by a family of prosperous merchants from Genoa who played a prominent role in the Casa de la Contratación in Seville and the commercial relationships between Spain and the Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral Americas [1–3]. with regard to jurisdictional claims in In 1523, the Pinelo family sold the palace to the Cabildo Catedralicio. Nothing is published maps and institutional affil- known about the subsequent transformations of the palace until it changed its usage in iations. around 1885, when it became Guest House Don Marcos [4]. In 1954 it was declared a historical-artistic monument and in 1964 it was expropriated by the Seville City Council. Between 1967 and 1971, some consolidation work was carried out by the municipal architect Jesús Gómez-Millán, and between 1969 and 1981 major restoration was directed by the Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. architect Rafael Manzano Martos [5]. Since then, the building has been the headquarters Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. of the Real Academia de Buenas Letras and the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de Santa Isabel This article is an open access article de Hungría in Seville. Inside, the building is organised into three large courtyards in distributed under the terms and accordance with the typical layout in Spanish medieval architecture [6] (Figure1b): an conditions of the Creative Commons entrance courtyard, where the stables were located; a main courtyard, with a large staircase Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ located in one corner, from which the mezzanine can be accessed where the ceiling studied 4.0/). in the present research is located; and a third courtyard/garden. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2021, 10, 85. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi10020085 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijgi ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 17 ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2021, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 17 staircase located in one corner, from which the mezzanine can be accessed where the ceiling studied in the present research is located; and a third courtyard/garden. ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2021, 10, 85 2 of 17 staircase located in one corner, from which the mezzanine can be accessed where the ceiling studied in the present research is located; and a third courtyard/garden. (a) (b) Figure 1. (a) Modern aerial photograph of the Pinelo Palace and its surroundings (overview through Google Earth). (b) Ground floor and mezzanine (indicated by the red circle). Authors’ own drawing, 2020. (a) (b) FigureFigure 1. 1.(a )(a Modern) Modern aerial aerial photographphotograph of of the theThe Pinelo Pinelolookout Palace Palace tower and and its built surroundin its surroundings in thegs corner (overview (overview between through through the Google two Google Earth)exterior. ( Earth).b) façades of the Ground floor and mezzanine (indicated by the red circle). Authors’ own drawing, 2020. (b) Ground floor and mezzanine (indicatedbuilding by the would red circle). be the Authors’ first such own tower drawing, built 2020. in Seville under the influence of the villas of the Italian Renaissance. Under the lookout tower is the entrance (Figure 2a). The main TheThe lookout lookoutcourtyard tower tower constitutes built built in in the a primethe corner corner example between between of theSevillian the two two exterior Renaissance exterior façades façadesarchit ofecture the of building the and contains wouldbuilding be would thethree first begalleries the such first toweron such the builtgroundtower inbuilt floor Seville in and Seville under four under on the the the influence first influence floor. of The of the the arches villas villas on ofof the the ground Italianthe Italian Renaissance. floorRenaissance. include Under Underoriginal the the decoration lookout lookout towertower with isisplasterwork the entrance entrance and (Figure (Figureare supported 2a).2a). The The mainby main columns of courtyard constitutes a prime example of Sevillian Renaissance architecture and contains courtyard constitutesimported Genoese a prime marble example (Figure of Sevillian 2b). These Renaissance arches form architecture part of an and interesting contains evolu- three galleries on the ground floor and four on the first floor. The arches on the ground three galleriestionary on the sequence ground of floor the andcourtyards four on in the the first main floor. palaces The of arches Seville, on and the groundcombine floor influences floor include original decoration with plasterwork and are supported by columns of include originalfrom decorationMudejar and with Gothic plasterwork art [7], ranging and are from supported the Palacio by columnsdel Rey Don of Pedro imported in the Real imported Genoese marble (Figure 2b). These arches form part of an interesting evolu- Genoese marbleAlcázar (Figure, through2b). the These Casa arches de Pilatos, form and part the of Palacio an interesting de las Dueñas evolutionary [3]. The first sequence-floor gallery tionary sequenceof the courtyard of the courtyards was recovered in the main and decoratedpalaces of inSeville, the second and combine half of the influences 20th century, after of the courtyards in the main palaces of Seville, and combine influences from Mudejar and from Mudejarbeing and partitioned Gothic art to [7],create ranging rooms from when the the Palacio building del Reywas Don Guest Pedro House in the Don Real Marcos [4]. Gothic art [7], ranging from the Palacio del Rey Don Pedro in the Real Alcázar, through the Alcázar, throughIn the the Casa ground de Pilatos,-floor and rooms, the Palacio the ceilings de las Dueñas with painted [3]. The Renaissancefirst-floor gallery decoration are Casa de Pilatos, and the Palacio de las Dueñas [3]. The first-floor gallery of the courtyard was of the courtyardpreserved, was recovered as are the and ceilings decorated of the in courtyardthe second galleries. half of the On 20th the century, first floor, after however, a recovered and decorated in the second half of the 20th century, after being partitioned to being partitionedlarge part to create of the rooms 16th -whencentury the ceilingsbuilding has was disappeared Guest House [8]. Don The Marcos garden [4]. in the third createIn rooms thecourtyard ground when the-floor has building anotherrooms, wasgallerythe Guestceilings with House twowith floo Donpaintedrs without Marcos Renaissance decorative [4]. decoration plasterwork. are preserved, as are the ceilings of the courtyard galleries. On the first floor, however, a large part of the 16th-century ceilings has disappeared [8]. The garden in the third courtyard has another gallery with two floors without decorative plasterwork. (a) (b) FigureFigure 2. (a) 2.Lookout(a) Lookout tower tower on the on façade. the façade. (b) Main (b) courtyard Main courtyard view. Authors’ view. Authors’ own photographs, own photographs, 2020. 2020. (a) (b) In the ground-floor rooms, the ceilings with painted Renaissance decoration are Figure 2. (a) Lookoutpreserved, tower on as the are façade. the ceilings (b) Main of courtyard the courtyard view. Authors’ galleries. own On photographs, the first floor, 2020. however, a large part of the 16th-century ceilings has disappeared [8]. The garden in the third courtyard has another gallery with two floors without decorative plasterwork. From the landing of the main staircase there is access to a mezzanine room that is currently used as the plenary hall for the Real Academia de Bellas Artes of Seville, where the ceiling with a geometric decoration that is studied in this research is located (Figure3).