When was the Spanish Ceiling made?
The Spanish Ceiling on view in the Worcester Art Museum was constructed during the 1400s in Spain, home of the great cities of Granada, Toledo, and Seville. The ceiling may have originated from a palace in Illescas, Spain, a city located between Madrid and Toledo. The artistic and architectural form of the Spanish Ceiling as well as the materials used in its construction are characteristic of Mudéjar architecture. Mudéjar refers to Muslims who remained in Christianized territory during the Reconquest of Spain by its Christian kingdoms. This historical context provides insight into the unique blend of Islamic and Christian designs ornamenting the ceiling due to the intermixing of peoples and cultures. The Mudéjar style of architecture had a strong influence in Castile and Leon, the region surrounding the city of Illescas, from the 1200s to the 1500s.
Vedanth Natarajan, Class of 2027, College of the Holy Cross
