- Jun 11
- 12 min read

Entry 8

Saturday, June 8th

Today, I went to Aranjuez. The area around the train station was very run down with graffiti and dilapidated buildings. But, my mood changed when I saw the royal palace of Aranjuez. What surprised me is that it wasn't crowded like the royal palace in Madrid. As you can see, the palace is facing a short-cut lawn with pavement. To the right of the first picture, there is a dirt plaza with a long building supported with white arches on one side. So far, it seems the palace isn't very interesting, but this is just an illusion.

The palace had many impressive rooms, but I'll only show the most interesting ones. To start, the main staircase is one of the most impressive rooms. The statue at the center underneath the royal coat of arms is the sun king, Louis XIV who created the palace in Versailles (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.). He was the grandfather of Philip V, who completed this palace and began the one in Madrid (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.). The next room I went into contained several important tapestries, which the professor previously mentioned were considered more luxurious than paintings.

The banqueting hall has a very impressive floor with historical and religious paintings on the walls. The white chandeliers and stunning ceiling made this room particularly impressive. The ceiling was made in the late baroque style by Giacomo Amigoni (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.). I was not allowed to go inside because the floor is made of stucco which is very delicate.

The next room worth mentioning is the Arab cabinet inspired by the Alhambra in Granada (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.). The table depicts the departure of Boabdil from Granada in 1492 and was a gift from Louis-Philippe I of France in the first half of the 19th century (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.).

Another interesting room is the porcelain cabinet. It is decorated in the Chinese style with gold highlights, green vines, several mirrors, and a porcelain chandelier (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.).

Another spectacular room is the throne room where the monarchs would meet with ambassadors. Isabel II gave the room its current look, modeling it after the throne room in Madrid (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.). The vaulted ceiling was made by Vicente Calderón and is meant to represent the just reign of Isabel II (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.).

The royal chapel is also quite impressive. It was designed by Francesco Sabatini and its ceiling was painted by Francisco Bayeu (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.).

After exploring the interior of the palace, I went out into the garden. The views in front of the royal palace and the Tajo River are simply fantastic.

I noticed the garden puts its hedges in long and straight lines, contains interesting geometric patterns, and makes smart use of water evident with its canals and fountains.

As I was just leaving the gardens, it started to rain. Fortunately, I had my Werder Bremen jacket and my UIowa umbrella handy otherwise I would have been soaked. I made my way to Restaurante Carême. There, I had patatas bravas, which weren't very spicy at all, and a focaccia which the waitress recommended. The focaccia was simply the best and much better than any pizza I've ever had. Then, I had a sachertorte for dessert.

At that point, I was very full and made my way back to the train station. When, I got back to Yugo, I worked on my blog, had some dinner, and went to bed.

Sunday, June 9th

I spent today just catching up on my blog. In the morning, I went to church where there were five different priests and a first-communion ceremony. Interestingly, the music that they played had guitar and people were clapping along with the song. After the mass, one of the priests said that they had used the money raised from the congregation to order a picture of the Virgin Mary and to get a box of ham. He emphasized the ham several times which made people laugh. After church, I had cochinillo asado for lunch and it was delicious. Then, I worked on my blog until dinner. After dinner, I went straight to bed.

Monday, June 10th

In the morning, I worked on my blog. I met at around noon at the Reina Sofia bookstore. There, I purchased Don Quijote, the graphic novel. Then, we went into the Reina Sofia museum. The first art piece we saw was Guernica by Pablo Picasso. According to the professor, it was made after German planes bombed a town in the Basque country called Guernica. The professor said the light bulb could represent the Eye of God. However, the professor also said that Picasso was an atheist and a Communist, so this may not be what Picasso intended the light bulb to represent. The professor also said the bull may be a self-portrait or that it represents the people of Spain. Overall, Guernica is a very open-ended art piece with several varying interpretations.

While I was at the museum, I had to fill out a worksheet with art pieces that fit some kind of description.

For problem 1, I found Procesión de la Muerte by José Gutiérrez Solana. It depicts a prominent skeleton in the middle and the skulls of the bishop and the king. It also shows people wearing corozas, a kind of hooded robe, which people who were arrested under the Spanish inquisition would have to wear as a sign of public humiliation (This White Hood Carries Many Meanings, n.d.). For problem 2, I saw Un Món by Ángeles Santos. It looks like the cube represents Earth, the performers are on the moon, and the staircase leads to the Sun.

For problem 3, I looked at Autorretrato by Alfonso Ponce de León. It shows him following out of his car at an odd angle. His face is bloody after hitting a rock and his left hand is holding some branches. For problem 4, I selected Traje Español by Natalia Goncharova. It depicts several eccentric but fashionable Spanish clothing.

For problem 5, I chose La Caída de Barcelona which refers to the fall of Barcelona to the fascists during the Spanish civil war. It looks like a person is making something with their hands, but that's all I can uncover from this painting. For problem 6, I have Retrato II by Joan Miró. Because this painting is so abstract, I have no idea what Miró was painting or what he was trying to communicate.

For problem 7, I visited Bañista by Mateo Hernández. This is a coral granite statue of a woman in a bathing suit. Its material sticks out because it gives the statue a sandy appearance as though it's made of sand. For problem 8, I discovered a propoganda poster entitled Un Pueblo en Armas es Invencible. It depicts the flags of several left-wing organizations like the Communist party and the Juventudes Socialistas Unificadas (JSU) (“Juventudes Socialistas Unificadas,” 2024).

For problem 9, I viewed Pintura by Joan Miró. The Frencg word "Hirondelle" which refers to the swallow bird interacts with the rest of the painting with the end of the "e" circling around the red, black, and yellow object. For problem 10, I admired El Hombre Invisible by Salvador Dalí. It seems like a dream because objects are melting or disformed, objects seem out of place or the wrong size, and it's unclear what exactly is happening.

For question 11, what surprised me the most was Mujer en el Jardín by Pablo Picasso. I don't see a woman or a garden at all. The odd shapes and metal medium also make this art piece stand out.

After going to the Reina Sofia museum, I can say I like classical art more than modern art. I'll discuss some other art pieces which I liked the most. I liked how Composición by Rafael Alberti was very colorful and had several patterns. It reminds me of the Arab cabinet in the Aranjuez royal palace. I also liked a painting of Toledo by Delhy Tejero. Maybe this is not modern art, but I find it interesting that I was in Toledo only a few weeks ago.

I was able to explore the entire Reina Sofia museum. One exhibit was dedicated to the former prime minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995 (“Yitzhak Rabin,” 2024). I also went into a dark room with a curtained entrance and a faint circular light in the middle. People's voices were playing and it sounded like they were right in my ear. I got out of there after about a minute of being inside. After exploring the Reina Sofia museum, I got some Jamón serrano for lunch. Then, I worked more on my blog, had some dinner, and went to bed.

Tuesday, June 11th

Today, we went to Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. On the ground floor, there are portraits of Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza and the baroness. According to the professor, the baroness is still quite involved in the museum.

We looked at a few paintings in Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, but I'll discuss the ones with the most symbolism. First, we looked at Retrato de Giovanna degli Albizzi Tornabuoni by Domenico Ghirlandaio. The professor told us that this woman died in childbirth at age 18. Importantly, the red cord in the background is a rosary and the black book is a book of prayer. This symbolism tells the observer that this woman was religious. The professor also explained that the Latin inscription emphasizes the inner beauty someone has rather than their outer beauty. Then, we saw Joven Caballero en un Paisaje by Vittore Carpaccio. The professor explained this is a Venetian knight who was kidnapped by Ottoman pirates in the Mediterranean and died in captivity. The letters around his waist represent his attempts to free himself. The ferret or ermine represents the order of knighthood this knight was a part of. The peacock is very symbolic. With its feathers extended, the peacock looks like it has several eyes. The professor explained these "eyes" represent the eyes of God who sees everything. Essentially, this reminds the observer to be aware of God and be a good Christian.

Santa Catalina de Alejandría is also very revealing. Caravaggio, according to the professor, had to flee Rome because he killed someone and later got killed himself. The professor said Caravaggio wanted to represent saints as real people, but he scandalously did this using prostitutes as his models. The wheel is meant to represent a torture device that would rotate with sharp blades at the ends (“Catalina de Alejandría,” 2024). Santa Catalina is said to have been miraculously unharmed by this torture device, which is why it appears in Caravaggio's painting (“Catalina de Alejandría,” 2024). The final painting which I considered to be worthwhile discussing is La Muerte de Jacinto by Giambattista Tiepolo. According to the professor, Apollo had a male lover called Jacinto and other Gods were jealous of their love. So, as Apollo and Jacinto were playing tennis, Pan made a tennis ball hit Jacinto's head, killing him. Pan is in the form of a statue on the right. My interpretation is that this painting is supposed to represent jealousy.

After looking at the professor's top paintings, I decided to explore the museum. I really liked this painting by Piet Mondrian. It reminds me of the time I wrote a program three years ago that created digital Mondrian paintings. Out of all modern art, I like paintings by Mondrian the most. I also greatly admired El Niño Jesús con una Corona de Flores by Carlo Dolci. The lighting around the face made it stand out from the rest.

Then, we took a walk around the area near the museum and went to Lamucca to have lunch. Apparently, La Mucca means "The Cow" in Italian. This was meant to be a farewell lunch for everyone. I had a salad with balsamic vinegar, raisins, sesame seeds, kale, radishes, tomatoes, and spinach. Then, I had some chicken with caramelized carrots. After that, I had some chocolate cake. Overall, the meal was great. I also got a gift for being the only person to complete the scavenger hunt and for being the only person across programs to participate in all extracurricular activities with Accent. The gift was tailored specifically to me and it's a book about the philosophical and anthropological implications of walking.

After the farewell lunch, I went back to Yugo to do my laundry, continue packing, and write my blog. Later, I had my last dinner with the group, and I went to bed.

Academic Analysis: Beauty + Power

As I was visiting the royal palace in Aranjuez, I wondered what it has in common and what differences it has with the royal palace in Segovia.

To start, the professor explained the royal palace in Segovia was built for pleasure and not for protection. Originally, the area was a hunting pavilion made in 1450 and was later a residence for monks under the Catholic monarchs (La Granja de San Ildefonso Royal Palace in San Ildefonso, n.d.). In 1721, Philip V started construction of the palace after his abdication in favor of his son, Luis I of Spain (La Granja de San Ildefonso, n.d.; “Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso,” 2024). However, after Luis I died of smallpox less than a year into his reign, Philip V returned to being the king of Spain (Philip V | Biography, Accomplishments, & Facts | Britannica, n.d.). Consequently, the palace was enlarged to house the royal court (La Granja de San Ildefonso, n.d.). So, originally it was not meant to be the king’s residence but circumstances unfolded in such a way that it became a royal palace.

Rather than being built under a single king, the royal palace in Aranjuez was built and expanded over the course of two centuries (Aranjuez, n.d.). Originally, the site was a recreational estate but was intended to become a royal palace under king Felipe II (Royal Palace in Aranjuez in Aranjuez, n.d.). The palace’s current architectural form was completed under the reign of Carlos III. So, the royal palace in Aranjuez isn’t from a particular time but rather represents a series of styles and fashions across multiple monarchs.

The royal palace in Segovia was made in the baroque style (La Granja de San Ildefonso, n.d.). Baroque architecture was characterized by bold decorations and numerous artworks (luckilywednesday, 2014; McLaughlin, 2023). The palace was modeled after the one in Versailles which was also constructed in the baroque style (Architecture at the Palace of Versailles - PARISCityVISION, n.d.).

Juan de Herrera played the biggest role in the architecture of the royal palace of Aranjuez under Felipe II (Royal Palace in Aranjuez in Aranjuez, n.d.). The Herrerian style of architecture was known for geometric precision, simplicity, and minimal decoration (luckilywednesday, 2014). The most notable feature is the palace’s white and red façade (Royal Palace in Aranjuez in Aranjuez, n.d.).

The interior of the royal palace in Segovia is especially known for its marble decorations, Japanese lacquer, and crystal chandeliers (La Granja de San Ildefonso Royal Palace in San Ildefonso, n.d.).

Most of the contemporary interior decorations were from the reign of Isabel II in the 19th century (Palacio Real de Aranjuez, n.d.). This is called the Elizabethan style, characterized by tapestries, plaster ceilings, and mullioned windows (An Introduction to Elizabethan Style | Stories | Oliver Burns Studio, n.d.; Elizabethan Style | Encyclopedia.Com, n.d.). It also has elements of the rococo style, known for shells, curves, mascarons, and arabesques (Aranjuez, n.d.).

Both palaces have a few things in common with regards to interior design. They both emphasize impressive chandeliers, portraits of historical and religious figures, elaborate painted ceilings, and luxurious tapestries.

The gardens from both palaces are quite similar. This makes sense, since both are modeled after the French style gardens in Versailles (Aranjuez, n.d.; La Granja de San Ildefonso, n.d.). Their gardens are characterized by straight lines of hedges, numerous fountains, innovative use of water, and organic geometric shapes. The gardens in Segovia seemed larger than those in Aranjuez and extended all the way to the mountains. In contrast, the Aranjuez gardens abruptly stop at a flat plain.

There are also some interesting geographic differences. Even though both Segovia and Aranjuez lie on the outskirts of Madrid, they are geographically very different. While I was in Segovia, I noticed it was very hilly and mountainous. This provides some level of natural protection for the monarchs and the royal palace. This contrasts sharply with Aranjuez, which lies on a flat plain.

Both royal palaces have important historical significance. Segovia was the site of the coronation of Queen Isabel of Castilla (Isabella I | Biography, Reign, & Facts | Britannica, 2024). It was important that she was crowned as soon as possible after the death of Enrique IV in 1474 as a way to legitimize her claim to the throne of Castilla in the ensuing civil war (Isabella I | Biography, Reign, & Facts | Britannica, 2024). Aranjuez is known for the mutiny of Aranjuez where an armed revolt led to the abdication of Carlos IV in favor of his son Fernando VII (Ferdinand VII | King of Spain, Imprisonment by Napoleon, Reinstatement | Britannica, n.d.). Eventually, Fernando VII was forced to abdicate as well and give up the Spanish throne to Napoleon who made his brother José I the king of Spain (Ferdinand VII | King of Spain, Imprisonment by Napoleon, Reinstatement | Britannica, n.d.).

In review, both royal palaces seem similar on the surface level with impressive gardens, imposing architecture, and stunning interior design. But, it's the intricate details and unique histories which make both royal palaces truly iconic.