ALHAMBRA PLASTER PLAQUES

Alhambra Plaster Plaques

Alhambra plaques are beautiful framed carved and polychrome- painted plaster reliefs replicating Moorish architectural facades inspired by the Nasrid fortress and palace complex of the Alhambra in Granada, Andalusia.

These reliefs exhibit the typical motifs of Moorish architecture such as arches, dense arabesque patterns, and geometric designs.

Rafael Contreras carried out a major restoration to the Nasrid fortress between 1847 and 1889, creating a substantially more “Moorish” and Oriental aesthetic in order to meet the foreign visitors’ expectations of the perfect exotic and picturesque stopover in their Grand Tour.

After realising the economic potential of creating souvenir plaster model, Contreras started producing reduced scale models, usually 1:12, of idealised representation of the Alhambra, so popular among European royalty and nobility.

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with arches and complex patterns made of vegetal and geometric motifs finely rendered in gold blue and red.

Alhambra Plaster Plaque, 1860 BCE - 1890 CE 12 x 18 x 2cm Spain (MS.1016)

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with a arch and complex patterns made of vegetal, sebka, and caligraphic motifs finely rendered in gold blue and red.

Alhambra plaque in plaster, 1900 BCE (MS.1067)

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with a arch and complex patterns made of vegetal, sebka, and caligraphic motifs finely rendered in gold blue and red.

Alhambra plaque in plaster, 19th Century CE 30.5 x 46 x 5cm (MS.1066)

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with a arch and complex patterns made of vegetal, sebka, and caligraphic motifs finely rendered in gold, purple and green. The arch reveals a photograph of a women richly clothed.

Alhambra plaster plaque - 1900 CE 17.2 x 32.5cm CB.2876

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with a arch and complex patterns made of vegetal, and sebka motifs finely rendered in gold, purple and green. The arch reveals a mirador.

Alhambra plaster plaque - 1900 CE 21.2 x 13.1cm CB.2878

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with a arch and complex patterns made of vegetal, and sebka motifs finely rendered in gold, purple and green. The arch reveals a mirador.

Alhambra plaster plaque - 1900 CE 54 x 33cm CB.2879

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with horseshoe arches and complex patterns made of vegetal, and sebka motifs finely rendered in gold, purple and green. The arch reveals a photograph with a moorish sight.

Alhambra plaster plaque - 1900 CE 49 x 47cm CB.2877

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with horseshoe archnd complex patterns made of vegetal, and sebka motifs finely rendered in gold, purple and green. The arch reveals a photograph with a moorish sight.

Alhambra plaster plaque - 1900 CE 50 x 47cm CB.2873a

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with a arch and complex patterns made of vegetal, sebka, and caligraphic motifs finely rendered in gold, purple and green. The arch reveals a photograph of a women richly clothed.

Alhambra plaster plaque - 1900 CE 45 x 33cm CB.2875

An Alhambra Plaster Plaque with a arch and complex patterns made of vegetal, sebka, and caligraphic motifs finely rendered in gold, purple and green. The arch reveals a photograph of a women richly clothed.

Alhambra plaster plaque - 1900 CE 45 x 33cm CB.2874