The Sala das Galés or Room of the Galleons: Ottoman warships flying crescent moon flags and with triangular lateen sails navigate a choppy green sea on the barrel-vaulted painted wooden ceiling of this former palatine gallery, added around 1534 by King John III to the Palácio Nacional, the royal summer palace at Sintra near Lisbon, Portugal.
Sintra, Lisbon region, Portugal: Ottoman warships with triangular lateen sails and flying crescent moon flags are among historic vessels painted on the wooden, barrel-vaulted ceiling of the Sala das Galés (Room of the Galleys or Galleons) in the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, the former royal summer palace near Lisbon. The ceiling was painted in about 1534, during the 1502 to 1557 reign of Dom João III (King John III, known as The Pious). The three-masted Ottoman ships are depicted under full sail on a choppy green sea, with their gun ports open. Elsewhere on the ceiling are ships flying the flags of Portugal and the Netherlands. The paintings were hidden by a false ceiling in the 1800s, but that was removed in the 20th century. The Sala das Galés was the first of several rooms that John III added to the existing palace at Sintra to link the main chambers to the south with the north-west wing. The original function of the room is not known for certain, but research by modern conservators suggest it is an early example of a palatine gallery such as the Uffizi in Florence, the Francois I Gallery at Fontainebleau, or the Battle Room of the Escorial royal place and monastery near Madrid. The Room of the Galleons is now a gallery once again. The conservators hope to promote debate on the influence of Islamic art, architecture and culture on Portugal’s national heritage by displaying objects with Islamic characteristics, some of which were actually made in Christian territories. Displays in the other chambers built by John III concentrate on the history of the Portuguese nobility and include objects such as portraits, insignia and dowry or trousseau chests passed down through the generations.
Size: 7360px × 4912px
Location: Palácio Nacional de Sintra, Sintra, Lisbon region, Portugal.
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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