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06 Spanish Ceiling [WAM 1952.18] - Where was this produced?
The Spanish ceiling originated from a palace in Illescas, a town located between Toledo and Madrid in the central-region of Spain. The palace from which the ceiling originated is associated with several notable figures and family names including the Hapsburgs, Dona Leonara of Austria, and Francis I of France. Spanish ceilings designed and constructed during the 15th-century around the central-Spanish region share many similar architectural and ornamental features to the one located at the WAM. Spanish ceilings, unlike most art during the medieval time period which were created in workshops and other such locations specific to art, were constructed and decorated in domestic, religious, and federal buildings depending on the status and identity of the individual who commissioned the project. During the construction of such a building, Spanish ceilings were incorporated directly into the architectural design of the building before its construction (i.e. Spanish ceilings were not added to an already existent ceiling).