DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7431#0024
14
A DESCRIPTION OF THE ALH/VMRA AT GRANADA.
of the Abencerrages {some statements say thirty-five) in one
day: the Sultana committed her defence to four Christian
knights, her champions, who each overcame the accuser with
whom he fought, and vindicated both her character and that
of the Abencerrages.* The eyes of the vulgar can still per-
ceive, in the alabaster bason which is in the centre of this
apartment, traces of the blood of those brave men, whom they
consider as the martyrs of envy: but the unanimous testimo-
nies of enlightened travellers assert, that these indelible bloody
spots are nothing more than the effects of time and exposure
to the air.
The Hall of the Abencerrages appears to have been a cen-
tral saloon communicating with the other apartments of the
palace. Every possible variety of combinations, which can
be devised by ingenuity or patience, is employed to decorate
the walls and ceiling; and is executed in the most exquisite
manner that can be conceived. The lines regularly cross
each other in a thousand forms ; and, after manifold windings,
return to the spot whence they first begin. An inspection of
Plate LV. in which one of these admirable mosaics is de-
lineated, will give a more correct idea of the taste and beauty
which pervade them, than could be obtained from a mere
description, or from a minute examination of the present en-
graving. These uncommon designs appear again in different
parts, and were probably formed by pouring prepared gyp-
sum 4- into moulds, and, after applying it to the walls, by
painting it with gold, azure, and purple. The ceiling itself
is equally extraordinary, and worthy of admiration : it pre-
sents a series of grottos,, from which depend stalactites,
painted of various colours.
PLATE XL.
A perspective view of the golden saloon, or hall of
ambassadors.
This magnificent apartment, by the Arabs termed the Golden
Saloon, from the profusion of gold ornaments which it con-
tained, was appropriated to the reception of ambassadors:
hence they further called it the Hall of Audience, and from
the same circumstance the Spaniards have given it the appel-
lation of the Salade los £mbaxadores, or Hall of Ambassadors.
It is situated in the lofty tower of Comares or Comaresch
(See Plate XII. fig. 13, and page 8, supra); is thirty-six
feet square, and sixty feet four inches high from the floor to
the highest part of the cieling. The walls are, on three sides,
fifteen feet thick, and on the fourth side nine; the lower range
of windows is thirteen feet in height.
The grand entrance into this noble hall is through an
arched door-way, admirably finished, and embellished with
flowers and arabesques in stucco: they were blue and gold,
* The reader may see a translation of a Moorish narrative relating to this event, in M. Peyron's
Essays on Spain (Bourgoing's Modern State of Spain) vol. iv. pp. 167—169.
t It is generally supposed, that the beautiful stucco-work of the Alhamra was composed of
gypsum mixed with whites of eggs and oil.
but the gilding is now almost entirely effaced. From this en-
trance our view was taken, as affording the best view of this
" Proud Saloon" as the Arabian writers term it, and which
is admirably adapted to the display of Moorish grandeur.
Over the principal door is an Arabic inscription, which ap-
pears to have been executed in a style corresponding to the
splendour of the rest of the edifice: it is taken, with the
exception of the concluding sentence, from the Koran, Sura,
(or chapter) 91, Ayat (or verse) 1-7. "By the sun and its
" rising brightness; by the moon, when she followeth him;
" by the day, when he sheweth his splendour; by the night,
" when it covereth him with darkness; by the heaven, and
" him who created it; by the earth, and him who spread
" it forth; by the soul, and him who completely formed
" it; there is no other God but God."* On each side of
this door is a small niche, in which the Moors left their
babouches or slippers, before they entered the royal presence:
these niches are likewise decorated with their respective
inscriptions.
On entering the Hall of the Ambassadors, the eye is lost
in astonishment, at the variety of ornament, the elegance of
execution, and exquisite taste, which characterise every part
of it: and, if thus superb even in its present deserted state,
how resplendent must this " Golden Saloon" have been,
when the sovereign, arrayed in all the pomp of Oriental
magnificence, assembled his brilliant court to give audience to
the representatives of the neighbouring monarchs! by com-
paring the following description with our plate, the reader
may be enabled to form a pretty correct idea of this costly
apartment. The whole floor is inlaid with mosaic: the same
kind of ornament, but of different patterns, covers every part
of the waifs, interspersed with flowers and Arabic inscriptions,
executed in porcelain with exquisite skill, so as to unite and
harmonize exactly with the stucco ornaments which every
where abound. On the cornices above the mosaics, and be-
neath the usual inscription, " there is no God but God,'1 the
piety or superstition of the modern Spaniards has led them to
introduce the crucifix: it is however so dexterously inserted
as not materially to injure the general effect. The height and
boldness of its arched ceiling are particularly worthy of ob-
servation: and the almost innumerable chiligon mosaics,
knot and other ornaments, must be seen, to form a tolerable
idea of their splendour. Gold, silver, azure, purple, and
other brilliant colours, all seem to strive which shall appear
most conspicuous on the stuccoed facets. Inscriptions occur
every where, so that the Alhamra in general, and this apart-
ment in particular, has not improperly been called a collection
offugitive pieces. Such of these inscriptions and mosaics, as
have best survived the ravages of time and neglect, are en-
graved in some of the following engravings, and by com-
paring them with the perspective view given in the plate just
described, the lover of antiquities may be enabled to form
some faint idea of the departed glories and splendours of the
Hall of the Ambassadors.
* See Sale's Koran, p. 492] 4to. edit. ^ See Plates lvi. to lxi. infra.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE ALH/VMRA AT GRANADA.
of the Abencerrages {some statements say thirty-five) in one
day: the Sultana committed her defence to four Christian
knights, her champions, who each overcame the accuser with
whom he fought, and vindicated both her character and that
of the Abencerrages.* The eyes of the vulgar can still per-
ceive, in the alabaster bason which is in the centre of this
apartment, traces of the blood of those brave men, whom they
consider as the martyrs of envy: but the unanimous testimo-
nies of enlightened travellers assert, that these indelible bloody
spots are nothing more than the effects of time and exposure
to the air.
The Hall of the Abencerrages appears to have been a cen-
tral saloon communicating with the other apartments of the
palace. Every possible variety of combinations, which can
be devised by ingenuity or patience, is employed to decorate
the walls and ceiling; and is executed in the most exquisite
manner that can be conceived. The lines regularly cross
each other in a thousand forms ; and, after manifold windings,
return to the spot whence they first begin. An inspection of
Plate LV. in which one of these admirable mosaics is de-
lineated, will give a more correct idea of the taste and beauty
which pervade them, than could be obtained from a mere
description, or from a minute examination of the present en-
graving. These uncommon designs appear again in different
parts, and were probably formed by pouring prepared gyp-
sum 4- into moulds, and, after applying it to the walls, by
painting it with gold, azure, and purple. The ceiling itself
is equally extraordinary, and worthy of admiration : it pre-
sents a series of grottos,, from which depend stalactites,
painted of various colours.
PLATE XL.
A perspective view of the golden saloon, or hall of
ambassadors.
This magnificent apartment, by the Arabs termed the Golden
Saloon, from the profusion of gold ornaments which it con-
tained, was appropriated to the reception of ambassadors:
hence they further called it the Hall of Audience, and from
the same circumstance the Spaniards have given it the appel-
lation of the Salade los £mbaxadores, or Hall of Ambassadors.
It is situated in the lofty tower of Comares or Comaresch
(See Plate XII. fig. 13, and page 8, supra); is thirty-six
feet square, and sixty feet four inches high from the floor to
the highest part of the cieling. The walls are, on three sides,
fifteen feet thick, and on the fourth side nine; the lower range
of windows is thirteen feet in height.
The grand entrance into this noble hall is through an
arched door-way, admirably finished, and embellished with
flowers and arabesques in stucco: they were blue and gold,
* The reader may see a translation of a Moorish narrative relating to this event, in M. Peyron's
Essays on Spain (Bourgoing's Modern State of Spain) vol. iv. pp. 167—169.
t It is generally supposed, that the beautiful stucco-work of the Alhamra was composed of
gypsum mixed with whites of eggs and oil.
but the gilding is now almost entirely effaced. From this en-
trance our view was taken, as affording the best view of this
" Proud Saloon" as the Arabian writers term it, and which
is admirably adapted to the display of Moorish grandeur.
Over the principal door is an Arabic inscription, which ap-
pears to have been executed in a style corresponding to the
splendour of the rest of the edifice: it is taken, with the
exception of the concluding sentence, from the Koran, Sura,
(or chapter) 91, Ayat (or verse) 1-7. "By the sun and its
" rising brightness; by the moon, when she followeth him;
" by the day, when he sheweth his splendour; by the night,
" when it covereth him with darkness; by the heaven, and
" him who created it; by the earth, and him who spread
" it forth; by the soul, and him who completely formed
" it; there is no other God but God."* On each side of
this door is a small niche, in which the Moors left their
babouches or slippers, before they entered the royal presence:
these niches are likewise decorated with their respective
inscriptions.
On entering the Hall of the Ambassadors, the eye is lost
in astonishment, at the variety of ornament, the elegance of
execution, and exquisite taste, which characterise every part
of it: and, if thus superb even in its present deserted state,
how resplendent must this " Golden Saloon" have been,
when the sovereign, arrayed in all the pomp of Oriental
magnificence, assembled his brilliant court to give audience to
the representatives of the neighbouring monarchs! by com-
paring the following description with our plate, the reader
may be enabled to form a pretty correct idea of this costly
apartment. The whole floor is inlaid with mosaic: the same
kind of ornament, but of different patterns, covers every part
of the waifs, interspersed with flowers and Arabic inscriptions,
executed in porcelain with exquisite skill, so as to unite and
harmonize exactly with the stucco ornaments which every
where abound. On the cornices above the mosaics, and be-
neath the usual inscription, " there is no God but God,'1 the
piety or superstition of the modern Spaniards has led them to
introduce the crucifix: it is however so dexterously inserted
as not materially to injure the general effect. The height and
boldness of its arched ceiling are particularly worthy of ob-
servation: and the almost innumerable chiligon mosaics,
knot and other ornaments, must be seen, to form a tolerable
idea of their splendour. Gold, silver, azure, purple, and
other brilliant colours, all seem to strive which shall appear
most conspicuous on the stuccoed facets. Inscriptions occur
every where, so that the Alhamra in general, and this apart-
ment in particular, has not improperly been called a collection
offugitive pieces. Such of these inscriptions and mosaics, as
have best survived the ravages of time and neglect, are en-
graved in some of the following engravings, and by com-
paring them with the perspective view given in the plate just
described, the lover of antiquities may be enabled to form
some faint idea of the departed glories and splendours of the
Hall of the Ambassadors.
* See Sale's Koran, p. 492] 4to. edit. ^ See Plates lvi. to lxi. infra.