"Patio of the Lions of the Alhambra"

About the artwork

I have lived in Granada, Spain, for the past twenty years, and the Alhambra citadel and palaces have been a constant source of inspiration for me in this time. This intaglio drypoint is of part of the Nasrid palace complex of the Alhambra called "The Patio of the Lions" in reference to the fountain that graces the centre of it, the basin for which is supported by lions. A colonnade runs around the perimeter of the patio and is supported by thin columns, and delicate Muqarnas (Islamic stalactite design). It was was said that these columns were so beautifully designed that they seemed to float on air, and it is this effect that I have tried to capture in this print. I laid some colour with the brayer to give texture and a base colour scheme before pulling the print, and once dry I finished it by overlaying some watercolour.