Hall of the Ambassadors, Alhambra, Granada

An arched colonnade frames a Moorish palace courtyard, where a central pool reflects the structure above beneath an open sky. The composition is rendered in soft cream and gold tones, with cool blue accents running through the sky and water. This piece was created in 1909 by Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida, an oil work now held at the J. Paul Getty Museum. Sorolla, a Spanish artist who lived from 1863 to 1923, painted this view of the Alhambra in Granada. Worth noticing is how the pale stone arches contrast against the deep blue sky, while the still pool below doubles the architecture in quiet reflection, giving the courtyard a sense of balance between light and shadow, structure and water.