ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the patronage of Isabel and Ferdinand, particularly for the Capilla Real in Granada, the construction of which began around 1504–1505. It argues, who would employ Italian artistic vocabulary and marble in the tombs, was part of his desire to signal his status as a modern patron and, in part, to compete with the French King Louis XII. The rich intersections between Italy and Spain during the early modern period resulted in a confluence of cultural ideals. Italy’s artistic ideals, and identity as a well-established artistic and cultural force since the very beginning of the sixteenth century, appealed to the Spanish crown. Traces of transmitted iconographic or formal elements, borrowed wholescale or adapted from Italian prototypes to sites beyond the major cities of Spain, illustrate the modes of circulation and the impact on local taste.