Dr. Anna Mc Sweeney

Summary

This project is a new collaboration between Dr McSweeney and Dr Rosser-Owen at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. It is the first study of a group of objects that have the potential to illuminate a pivotal period in European history: the end of Muslim political power in Spain in 1492. These four monumental wooden ceilings, commissioned in the 1490s by the chamberlain to the Catholic Monarchs for his palace near Toledo, demonstrate how Islamic techniques were adapted to a Gothic taste. Dispersed in the early 20th century, the ceilings are now in London, Madrid, the Loire, and San Francisco. Taking advantage of the imminent redisplay of the London ceiling, this project brings together an interdisciplinary and international group of experts to answer questions about the materials, craftsmanship, patronage and dispersal of the ceilings. At a time when the historic role of Muslims in Europe is increasingly being questioned and often dismissed, the Torrijos ceilings project offers an opportunity to rethink the legacy of Islamic art in Europe.
Crafting Medieval Spain

Funding Agency

British Academy Leverhulme

Programme

Small Research Grant