Court of the Myrtles 05
by Weston Westmoreland
Title
Court of the Myrtles 05
Artist
Weston Westmoreland
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
The Gallery and Archway at the southern end of the Court of the Myrtles, Alhambra de Granada, Spain. Vertical crop of a square view.
This is how the southern end of the court of the Myrtles would look before Charles V built his immense square palace behind, thus completely distorting the balance of the Nasrid composition.
The chambers that existed behind this portico were partly demolished in order to build the palace. The disappearance of these chambers contributed to the popular belief that Charles V destroyed the winter palace of the Alhambra in order to build his own. However, there is no real proof of the existence of such palace.
The Court of the Myrtles (Patio de los Arrayanes) is part of the palace and fortress complex of the Alhambra. Its current name is due to the myrtle bushes that surround the central pond and the bright green color of which contrasts with the white marble of the patio. The central pond is 100 feet long and 21 feet wide. The patio is divided in two sides by the pond, which receives its water from two fountains. The Court has chambers and porticoes around it. These porticoes rest on columns with cubic capitals, joined by seven semicircular arches decorated with fretwork rhombuses and inscriptions praising God.
Built around 1350 AD, the Palace of the Lions in the Alhambra is the apex of Nasrid architecture. In this palace Nasrid art achieved its greatest degree of magnificence, sensitivity and harmony. Light, water, color and exquisite decoration turn this palace into a pleasure for the senses. The abstract and geometric decoration steps back in this palace for a more naturalistic style, a result of Christian influence.
A place of breathtaking beauty, preserved by the wisdom of a Sultan who was later labelled a coward for surrendering the fortress before it was utterly destroyed in a fight he could not possibly win. I for one am grateful.
Other versions of this image and other more Alhambra and Al-Andalusian images one copy-paste away in my Gallery at http://westonwestmoreland.com/collections/alhambra+and+alandalus
Weston Westmoreland.
Uploaded
February 28th, 2020
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