Period Rooms at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Room with Elements from the Spanish Renaissance
(Spanish Renaissance Room / Spanish XVII Century Room)

Spanish, 16th and 17th centuries

Artists/makers unknown, Spanish

Accession Numbers: 1928-59-1, 1936-25-1a,b, 1936-25-2a,b, 1936-25-3a,b

Gallery 353, European Art 1500-1850, third floor

Architecturally the room is distinguished by three wooden doorways. Two are sixteenth-century examples from Ecija, in Andalusia, elaborately carved in geometric designs. The third door, from seventeenth century Seville, is rich in geometric moldings, and, in its acanthus leaf carving, shows a merging of Moorish influence with that of the Plateresco. The architecture of the room also includes a very fine sixteenth century ceiling, possibly from Aragón or Castile, a reproduction red tile floor, and pure white walls.

Ceiling Gift of Mrs. Frank Thorne Patterson, 1928; doorways Purchased with funds contributed by Mrs. Frank Thorne Patterson, 1936

References

“Handbook of the Museum.” The Philadelphia Museum Bulletin 37, no. 193 (1942): 1–64. https://doi.org/10.2307/3794839.

"Philadelphia: An Authentic Spanish Room is Installed." The Art News 36, no. 11 (1937): 16. https://archive.org/details/sim_artnews_1937-12-11_36_11.