Ceramic Splendor and the Comares Hall Tile
The Alhambra palace was so opulent that part of its floors was covered in expensive ceramic tiles. This tile most likely originates from the Comares hall of the mentioned palace. The assumption is made because the old tiles, dating to the 14th century, have been replaced with the new, 15th-century ones, completed with motifs of cuerda seca execution. The presented tile is an example of the latter style, utilizing earthenware that has been sculpted and painted with cobalt over a white glaze with gold sprinkled into it. Unfortunately, no contemporary research body can identify the true authors of the ceramics.
Reassessing Nasrid Aesthetics: Unity Behind Ornament
The Alhambra Palace is considered the pinnacle of Nasrid art. Muslims and Christians who laid eyes on it both hailed its beauty and magnificence. 19th-century historians indeed believed Nasrid art lacked harmony and described its parts as chaotic, full of imagination, caprice, and temptation, and ultimately intended to satiate the sensual desires of a spoiled court. Due to numerous gardens, flowing water, and the foolishness and authoritarianism of its corrupt masters, the palace was portrayed in some contemporary accounts as a vast center of delight.
However, the palace’s design features indicate a thorough artistic effort behind the palace’s decorations. Namely, it was the scientific concepts and values, such as the use of a particular geometric ratio as the foundation for all decorative decisions, that led to the overpowering sense of ornamental wealth in the Alhambra. It allowed Nasrid architects to embellish every facet of a structure, including the plan, elevation, and interior. Overall, it produced a unity that encompassed the various themes and the rich diversity of ornamental bands.
Political Context and Artistic Flourishing Under Yusuf I
Nasrid art was viewed in conventional historiography as the beginning of the decline of al-Andalus art due to the continued vassalage to Castile, which symbolized subordination alien to the times of the Córdoban Umayyad Caliphate. However, the Nasrid era was not entirely marked by constant deterioration. The most peaceful eras were under Yusuf I’s administration from 1333 to 1354, a time when the Comares Palace in the Alhambra reached the pinnacle of Nasrid aesthetic magnificence. Additionally, at this time, the global trade of glazed ceramics increased.
Ceramics play a crucial part in artistic discussions, since without them, it becomes hard to comprehend the full beauty of the Alhambra. Vibrantly colored textiles and carpets, multicolored plasterwork, dripping metallic reflections, and beautifully colored, shiny glazed pieces were employed all around the palace. The methods, materials, and pigments employed in the usage of architectural ceramics are numerous and diverse across the Islamic world.
Alicatado Technique and the Craft of Nasrid Mosaic
It is essential to note the use of alicatados on dados in the principal nobility-reserved parts of Nasrid architecture. The alicatado technique’s most well-known implementation flourished during the 13th and 14th centuries, emerging concurrently in several areas. The alicatado continued to be employed despite certain modifications, even after the Christian conquest.
Many researchers have investigated the diversity of the Alhambra art in depth, dissecting the intricate designs and storylines found there as well as the vast range of colors utilized. Unfortunately, an exact chronology for all of them has not yet been established. Regarding the alicatado works, an artisan would, depending on the design, cut the pieces from a monochromatic sheet that had been fired and glazed, and arrange them face down, resembling a jigsaw puzzle. Mortar was used to assemble the various components into a panel and to secure the panel in its place. Based on the amount of effort, it becomes clear why Alhambra is genuinely revered by people knowledgeable about the process.
Restoration, Transformation, and the Legacy of Nasrid Ceramics
The Nasrid artifacts have undergone several restorations, additions, and other manipulations after the Christian conquest. The alicatados of the Alhambra have consistently been one of its most vulnerable parts to change, as numerous portions have been altered without a thorough analysis of their history. This has led to the common occurrence of Nasrid mosaic tiles, combined with subsequent fragments resulting from both current and older restorations. Thankfully, interventions today are more meticulously monitored. The numerous repairs and modifications made to the Comares baths over time are a strong indication of their intricate design.
Bibliography
Bush, Olga. “Color and Geometry in the Alhambra: and What Got Lost in the Alhambresque.” Manazir Journal 3, (2021): 13-29.
Díez Jorge, María Elena, Ignacio Barrera Maturana, and Nieves Jiménez Díaz. “The Alhambra: Transformation and Change through Architectural Ceramics.” Arts 7, no. 4 (2018): 1-32.
Langer, Axel, Ariane Varela Braga, Francine Giese, and Sandra Gianfreda. “Revisiting the Reception of Islamic Ornament and Color in the West.” Manazir Journal 3, (2021): 6-12.
Lim, Teik-Cheng. “Metamaterial Honeycomb with Sign-toggling Expansion Coefficients Manifesting an Islamic Mosaic Pattern at the Alhambra Palace.” Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials 4, (2021): 966-978.
Silva Oliveira, Marcos Leandro, Carolina Dario, Bernardo Fonseca Tutikian, Hinoel Zamis Ehrenbring, Caliane CO Almeida, and Luis Felipe Silva Oliveira. “Historic Building Materials from Alhambra: Nanoparticles and Global Climate Change Effects.” Journal of Cleaner Production, 232 (2019): 751-758.