[Contents.] [List of Illustrations]
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THE SPANISH SERIES
ROYAL PALACES OF SPAIN

THE SPANISH SERIES
EDITED BY
ALBERT F. CALVERT

Goya
Toledo
Madrid
Seville
Murillo
Cordova
El Greco
Velazquez
Cervantes
The Prado
The Escorial
Royal Palaces of Spain
Spanish Arms and Armour
Granada and the Alhambra
Leon, Burgos, and Salamanca
Valladolid, Oviedo, Segovia, Zamora, Avila, and Zaragoza
In preparation—
Galicia
Sculpture in Spain
Cities of Andalucia
Murcia and Valencia
Tapestries of the Royal Palace
Catalonia and Balearic Islands
Santander, Viscaya, and Navarre

ROYAL PALACES
OF SPAIN

A HISTORICAL & DESCRIPTIVE
ACCOUNT OF THE SEVEN PRIN-
CIPAL PALACES OF THE SPANISH
KINGS, WITH 164 ILLUSTRA-
TIONS. BY ALBERT F. CALVERT

LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY MCMIX

Edinburgh: T. and A. Constable, Printers to His Majesty

PREFACE

Since despotism has been replaced by constitutional rule the divinity that doth hedge a King has shed something of its significance, but the staunchest republican will admit that there is at least a certain picturesqueness about royalty; and the interest attaching to a crowned head naturally extends to the ancestral homes of majesty. Spain is unusually rich in ‘cloud-capped towers and gorgeous palaces,’ many of which have been the scenes of stirring and momentous events in her history. On the gloomy pile of the Escorial—worthier of an Egyptian Pharaoh—Philip II. stamped conspicuously and indelibly his own sombre personality; Aranjuez and La Granja reveal to us monarchy in its lighter aspect; the Alcazar reminds us of the days when Castilian royalty aped the pomp of the Saracen and became itself half-Oriental; the Royal Palace of Madrid epitomises the greatest crisis in the nation’s history, of the expulsion of its legitimate sovereign, and of the usurpation of the eldest Buonaparte. Napoleon himself ascended its grand staircase, and looking round at the splendid home of the Spanish Bourbons, he was able to say to his brother, ‘I hold at last this Spain so much desired!’

These palaces of the haughtiest royal race in Europe are endowed with the rarest treasures of art and taste such as only a semi-despotic Power could accumulate in bygone days. It is the object of this little book to reveal these riches to the curious in such matters by means of illustrations, the accompanying text being only to be considered in the light of explanatory notes and chronological data.

A. F. C.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE
[I.][THE ESCORIAL][1]
[II.][LA GRANJA (SAN ILDEFONSO)][19]
[III.][EL PARDO][38]
[IV.][ARANJUEZ][49]
[V.][MIRAMAR][64]
[VI.][EL ALCAZAR (SEVILLE)][74]
[VII.][ROYAL PALACE (MADRID)][91]

ILLUSTRATIONS

ESCORIAL
SUBJECTPLATE
[View of the Palace,][1]
[View of the Palace,][2]
[View of the Palace (east side),][3]
[North-west angle of the Palace,][4]
[Principal Façade and Angle of the Palace,][5]
[View of the Principal Staircase of the Palace,][6]
[Hall of Ambassadors,][7]
[Reception Hall,][8]
[View of the Dining Hall,][9]
[Pompeian Hall,][10]
[Library,][11]
[Chapter Room,][12]
[The Holy Family, by Raphael,][13]
[The Last Supper, by Titian,][14]
[A Smoker, by Teniers,][15]
[Country Dance, by Goya. Tapestry,][16]
[Children Picking Fruit, by Goya. Tapestry,][17]
[The Grape-sellers, by Goya. Tapestry,][18]
[The China Merchant, by Goya. Tapestry,][19]
[Diptych, in Ivory, of the 13th Century,][20]
SAN ILDEFONSO, LA GRANJA
[View of the Palace,][21]
[View of the Palace and the Cascade,][22]
[View of the Palace,][23]
[View of the Palace and Fountain of the Fama,][24]
[View of the Palace from the Fountain of the Fama,][25]
[View of the Palace,][26]
[The Palace in perspective,][27]
[Entrance to the Palace,][28]
[View of the Collegiate Church and the Palace,][29]
[Palace of Rio Frio,][30]
[Cascade,][31]
[Palace and Fountain of Fama,][32]
[Fountain of Fama,][33]
[Fountain of Fama,][34]
[Fountain of the Courser,][35]
[Fountain of the Three Graces,][36]
[Fountain of the Three Graces,][37]
[Fountain of Neptune,][38]
[Fountain of Neptune,][39]
[Part of the Fountain of Neptune,][40]
[Fountain of Neptune,][41]
[Fountain of the Baths of Diana,][42]
[Fountain of Dragons,][43]
[Fountain of Latona,][44]
[Fountain of Eslo, or of the Winds,][45]
[Fountain of Andromeda,][46]
[Fountain of the Canastillo,][47]
[Fountain of the Cup,][48]
[Fountain of the Cup,][49]
[Source of the Arno, underground river,][50]
[The River,][51]
[The Reservoir,][52]
[The Reservoir,][53]
[Cascade of the Reservoir,][54]
[The Lake,][55]
[Group of Vases in the Parterre of Andromeda,][56]
[Three Vases in the Parterre of Andromeda,][57]
[Vase in the Parterre de la Fama,][58]
[Vase in the Parterre de la Fama,][59]
[Vase in the Parterre de la Fama,][60]
[Vase of the Baths of Diana,][61]
[Vase in the Parterre of Andromeda,][62]
[Vase in the Parterre of Andromeda,][63]
[Vase in the Parterre of Andromeda,][64]
EL PARDO
[View of the Palace from the Grounds,][65]
[The Palace,][66]
[The Palace,][67]
[The Palace,][68]
[The Palace,][69]
[Hall of Ambassadors,][70]
[Hall of Ambassadors,][71]
[Dining Room,][72]
[Ante-Room,][73]
[Ante-Room,][74]
[Private Room,][75]
[Private Room,][76]
[Scene of the Royal Theatre,][77]
[Royal Box in the Theatre,][78]
[Casa del Principe,][79]
ARANJUEZ
[Principal Façade of the Palace,][80]
[Southern Façade of the Palace,][81]
[Royal Palace from the Parterre,][82]
[Royal Palace from the Gardens,][83]
[Royal Palace and Suspension Bridge over the Tajo,][84]
[The Grand Staircase,][85]
[Porcelain Room, Japanese style,][86]
[Detail of Porcelain Room, Japanese style,][87]
[Detail of Porcelain Room, Japanese style,][88]
[Detail of the Porcelain Room, Japanese style,][89]
[Detail of the Porcelain Room, Japanese style,][90]
[Casa del Labrador,][91]
[Convent of San Antonio,][92]
[Entrance to the Gardens of the Island,][93]
[Fountain in the Plaza de San Antonio,][94]
[Avenue of the Catholic Sovereigns in the Gardens of the Island,][95]
[Jupiter, bronze group in the Gardens of the Island,][96]
[Ceres, bronze group in the Gardens of the Island,][97]
[Juno, bronze group in the Gardens of the Island,][98]
[Pavilions of the River, in the Garden of the Prince,][99]
[Fountain of Apollo, in the Garden of the Prince,][100]
[Fountain of Ceres, in the Garden of the Prince,][101]
[Fountain of Narcissus, in the Garden of the Prince,][102]
[Fountain of the Swan, in the Garden of the Prince,][103]
[General View of the Tajo and the Parterre,][104]
[Fountain of Hercules, in the Gardens of the Island,][105]
[Fountain of Hercules, in the Gardens of the Island,][106]
[Fountain of Apollo, in the Gardens of the Island,][107]
MIRAMAR
[Side View of the Palace,][108]
[Reception Room,][109]
[Billiard Room,][110]
SEVILLE
[Façade of the Alcazar,][111]
[Alcazar, Gates of the Principal Entrance,][112]
[Interior of the Hall of Ambassadors,][113]
[Interior of the Hall of Ambassadors,][114]
[Interior of the Hall of Ambassadors,][115]
[Hall of Ambassadors,][116]
[Hall of Ambassadors,][117]
[Court of the Hundred Virgins,][118]
[Court of the Dolls,][119]
[Court of the Dolls, from the Room of the Prince,][120]
[Court of the Dolls,][121]
[Court of the Dolls,][122]
[Court of the Dolls,][123]
[Upper Part of the Court of the Dolls,][124]
[Dormitory of the Moorish Kings,][125]
[Sleeping Saloon of the Moorish Kings,][126]
[Entrance to the Dormitory of the Moorish Kings,][127]
[View of the Gallery from the second floor,][128]
[Hall in which King St. Ferdinand died,][129]
[Interior of the Hall of St. Ferdinand,][130]
[Interior of the Hall of St. Ferdinand,][131]
MADRID
[The Royal Palace,][132]
[The Royal Palace from the Plaza de Oriente,][133]
[The Royal Palace,][134]
[Principal Façade of the Palace,][135]
[The Royal Palace from the Plaza de Oriente,][136]
[The Royal Palace,][137]
[The Royal Palace,][138]
[Palace from the Plaza de la Armeria,][139]
[Grand Staircase of the Palace,][140]
[Principal Staircase of the Palace,][141]
[Grand Staircase of the Palace,][142]
[The Grand Staircase,][143]
[Hall of Columns,][144]
[General View of the Throne Room,][145]
[The Throne,][146]
[The Throne,][147]
[Detail of Throne Room,][148]
[Ceiling of the Throne Room, by Tiepolo,][149]
[Ceiling of the Throne Room, by Tiepolo,][150]
[Ceiling of the Throne Room, by Tiepolo,][151]
[The King’s Privy Council Chamber,][152]
[The Queen’s Room,][153]
[The Music Room,][154]
[The Room of Mirrors,][155]
[Reception Room,][156]
[Bronze Urn in the Reception Room,][157]
[Room of Charles III.,][158]
[Chinese Room, by Gasparini,][159]
[Chinese Room, by Gasparini,][160]
[Porcelain Room,][161]
[Corner in the Porcelain Room,][162]
[The Porcelain Room,][163]
[Porcelain Group in the Buen Retiro,][164]