The document provides descriptions of various artworks featured in the "Glory of Spain" exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. It summarizes 13 pieces in the exhibition that span 4000 years of Hispanic art and culture from antiquity to modern Spain. The pieces described include sculptures, mosaics, paintings and other art mediums showcasing religious, mythological and portrait subjects.

1. Museum of Fine Arts
Houston- Glory of Spain
ASMA BAIG
HUMANITIES 1301

2. Exhibit description
 This slide show is based off the virtual tour of the monumental exhibition Glory of
Spain: Treasures from the Hispanic Society Museum & Library. It spans 4000
years of Hispanic art and culture, from “Antiquity in Spain” to “Modern Spain”.
 There were over 200 artwork with all sculptures, paintings, mosaics as mediums.

3. Torso of Diana “ The Huntress”
 Roman, 138-150 AD
 Italica(Seville) or Italy Marble
 Diana goddess of hunt, daughter of Jupiter. It’s a sculpture of beautiful girt dress with two
belts , and chiton on one shoulder. Only legs are still intact, sculpture lost its arms and
head.
 By the placement of legs, you can see she is moving forward to hunt, left arm would have
been carrying a bow, right arm reaching back to grab and arrow.
 This piece of art is masterful in treatment of garments and in revealing the movement of
huntress.
 The piece is exquisite, even though it is a fragment of a life size statue, you can still see
the masterful work of art and imagine what an amazing sculpture it was. Diana would be
proud to have such a gorgeous monument memorialize her.

4. Head of Medusa
 Roman 175-225 AD ,
 Alcolea Rio (Seville) Mosaic
 Mosaic is round. Tile used to comprise the overall image. White, Black, blue,
Ocher, green, flesh-colored tones tiles were used. For Exterior, the wolves
tooth pattern is used. The mosaic was found in a home, on the floor, near a
doorway.
 Medusa had snakes for hair and eyes that turned the beholder into stone.
Even though she was beheaded, the head still had its fearful powers. The
head of Medusa served as a talisman to ward of evil as people entered
home.
 Its is the unique piece of art, I loved the masterful work as well as the
protective purpose of it to protect the house and owners from evil.

5. Chalice
 1525-50 (unknown artist)
 Possibly Segovia
 Siver guild, cast , repousse technique, and chased.
 Its style clearly marked the transition from the gothic period to
renaissance period. The hexafoil base is rounded, with sober rims
and rope motifs. Its clearly renaissance influenced. The three
lozenges contain images : Saint Francis showing stigma, Saint
Andrew, and the Virgin and child. Green man Masks images as
well. The center of the hexagonal shaft explodes into an
architectural evocation of late Gothic architecture. Flying
butteries. And spires.
 Design of chalice matches a range of objects from into the
1400s-1500s. It is similar to chalice in the Varez-fisa collection,
made by Pedro Munoz around 1515. this chalice must’ve been
used in roman catholic mass. It must have radiated when catches
the light in church.
 Chalice is an exquisite creation, containing features from two
different periods. Looking at it you can feel the experience of
going to church and mass in the early 1500s.

6. Alhambra Silk
 c,1400 (Islamic world)
 Granada, Made from Silk
 Series of bands composed of such diverse motifs like eight pointed stars, arabesques,
dotted flowers. Red, yellow, blue, and green colors used that all compliments each other.
 Decorative motives, symmetrical. Tamasic text. Pattern is usually related with peace hope
and joy.
 It may have been used to ward of evil and bring owner luck. Maybe a wall hanging or
curtain due to size.
 Its is an amazing piece of art reflecting the Islamic art and culture from 1400s, It has a
calming effects on the viewer. I love the choice of colors and how perfectly they blend
together.

7. Ascension of Christ
 c. 1422-30
 Miguel Alzaniz, Tempra on wood.
 Panel painting. This is center panel painting. Subject is
ascension of Christ. At top of painting, you see Christ with
his hands clapped in prayers, surrounding him is mandorla
(almond in Italian) due to shape. Gold red and blue divine
light radiating of Christ and within those lights are
seraphim and cherubs, next to Christ shoulders are angels
holding scrolls.. Below his feet are to footprints, below him
is his mother virgin Mary, and surrounding her are all the
appraisals. Top of painting there is canopy. Pointed arches
blue paints.
 In the painting, it’s a divine moment. Its not meant to
describe reality. Its to show divine world, the unseen
world.
 Its an amazing painting from medieval period that
captured the divine. What I like about this is that the
artist’s approach isn’t naturalistic, he tried to pull the veil
from the divine world.

8. Pieta
 El Greco , originally from Greece, moved to Italy
 c. 1574-76
 Oil on canvas
 Subject matter pieta Italian for pity. The subject pained was
utilized from a sculpture Florentine pieta, made by Michael
Angelo. Its painting of Mary above her son Jesus, who’s just come
down from the cross. Two men by each arm holding Jesus. Three
crosses from Golgotha in upper left corner.
 Artist painted this to express a moment between crucifixion and
Christ’s entombment. This is an imaginative work and will no be
found in documents of any gospels.
 This painting is very creative piece of art. Painting title is very
accurate as the viewer I do feel the sad sensation and relation
towards it.

9. Gaspar de Guzman, Count
Duke of Olivares
 c. 1625-26
 Diego Velazquez (court painter for King Philip IV)
 Oil on canvas.
 Portrait of count duke who was on of the most important and
formidable man in first half of 17th century. Artist tried to
capture some aspect of his souls and his personality. The
painting have light background with the count wearing dark
clothing. Table covered with red top, same shade as the
curtain. The golden key on hm indicates that he is keeper of
king’s bed chamber. The tall narrow riding craw in his hand
indicated that he was master of king’s horse.
 The portrait is amazing. The artist has brought out the
subject's personality. You can tell just by looking at the
painting that the man in it must have been of very
importance.

10. The Mystical Marriage of Saint
Catherine
 1692-1706
 Luisa Roldan, called La Roldana , one of few female artists. (sculpture of King’s
Charles)
 Sculpture, Polychromed terracotta
 The sculpture is smaller than most. Saint Catherine was early virgin Christian
martyr. She was stretched across a wheel resulting in crushed limbs. In sculpture
the broken wheel has the artist’s name. Saint Catherina is receiving a ring from
Christ child who is center of composition, sitting on his mother Mary’s lap. It’s a
symbolic mystical subject here, that intimates saint Catherine's commitment to
Jesus Christ. Upper right side is saint joseph on left there is a flower bearing angel,
below them are cherubs lifting the figures.
 This wedding is symbol of purely spiritual grace. As Christ suffered for all mankind,
the mystical spouses enters into a more intimate participation in His suffering.
 You can tell that the artist was very talented that created this master full sculpture
and got all the fine details in with excellent coloring.

11. Saint Michael the Archangel
Triumphant over Satan
 Luis Juarez, 1630
 Oil on canvas
 The subject matter is Saint Michael triumphant over Satan. Artist captured
saint Michael Archangel hovering over above and Satan below. In saint
Michael’s hand there is a sun disk shining divine light. The Satan below is
shielding his eyes by hand from the divine light. In Michael left hand he has
palm leaf. Satan has donkey’s ears. Saint Michael is wearing clothes and
Satan isn’t.
 This painting is different from the Archangel triumphant paintings because
in most other paintings Saint Michael has sword that he uses to defeat
Satan, but here he is using Divine light. The Palm leaf is used as a symbol of
victory. Satan having ass’s ears indicates him being a bad guy. This is the
work of a Spanish artist that moved to the Americas.
 You can see the Spanish influence, as well as a new technique in the
painting. Terracotta base paint was Mexican, the wash of orange-yellow
light is particular to Mexican regions. The use of divine light to defeat Satan
is what makes this painting more unique.

12. Citation
The website that I did the virtual tour on is listed below.
https://www.mfah.org/visit/mfahathome-virtual-audio-tours
Photos from the slide were screenshotted from the video