Ceiling

The ceiling covering this gallery is a testament to the resilience and persistence of traditional Islamic design in Andalusia after the Christian Reconquista. This so-called mudéjar style was especially prevalent in the Aragon and Castile-León regions of Spain, where many Christian churches incorporate similar ceilings. The ceiling is comprised of thirty carved, painted, and gilded pinewood panels. The ceiling originally was designed for a smaller space; it was later expanded, explaining its somewhat uneven geometric pattern. In addition to the Islamic-inspired star pattern, a whimsical frieze of gilded running animals, flying birds and swirling vine scrolls decorates the cornice.

Credit: Gift of The Hearst Foundation, 1956