Ceiling Lounge in Viana Palace, Cordoba (Spain)

Ceiling Lounge

        The Ceiling Lounge is one of the richest room and interesting of the palace, Ceiling Loungeit receives the name because of the mudejar wooden ceiling that covers the room. It is very simple but at the same time it is beautiful. Many times it has been written that it represents a boat capsized upside down.
        One of the paintings represents "a Madam", performed by Juan Pantoja de la Cruz, one of the most important artist of the spanish paintintgs of the XVI Century; the madam which is painted is attributed to Doña Isabel de Valois but not all the experts think the same. Two more paintings madeCeiling Lounge by Bartolomé González, the "Cardinal Infant Don Fernando" or his sister "Doña Maria de Austria", complete the exposition. This art gallery is completed by other masterpieces such as: "Saint Catherine", made by Federico Baroccio de Urbino or a "Madonna" made by Giovanni Battista Salvi (Il Sassoferrato) among the others.
        Four flemish rugs are hanged three of which belong toCeiling Lounge the serie "Background of the Trojan War" of the XVI Century and they represent "The Judgement of Paris", "The presentation of Helen to Priam", “Paris justified its conduct before the court of Priam”. The other rug belongs to the serie "The story of Cyrus" and it represents "The Revenge of Tomiris". The three first are situated on the left wall and are separated by salomon columns with vegetable and zoomorphic decoration.
        The forniture of the lounge is abundant and two sofas, knole style, can be stood out, a table board decorated with carey motives with silver and ivory incrustations, Jamugas Renaissance armchairs, Louis XIV armchairs with gobelino of the XVII upholstered, and a collection of auxiliary tables, baroque and of the XVII-XVIII Century.... The floor is covered by a wonderful rug of the XVII Century made in Cuenca, similar to one of the Dining room.

Text: J.A.S.C.

Traslated by Sara Moretti