We recently had family visiting from England and I played tour guide and tourist with them for 11 days. On one of those days, we went to the Hospital de los Venerables (the Hospital of the Venerables). Now a museum, the hospital was built in the late 1600s for poor and aging priests; it's located in the Barrio Santa Cruz, which had been the old Jewish Quarter. Jerry and I visited the museum when we were here on vacation in late 2010.
 |
| THE CHAPEL AT THE HOSPITAL DE LOS VENERABLES. SIMPLE AND UNDERSTATED. GREAT CEILING TREATMENT. |
The building, courtyards, and gardens are absolutely beautiful and include some really amazing original art, including paintings by Murio and Velazquez. But, this time around, with our interior painting in mind, the chapel is what especially caught my attention. I wonder if Jerry and I can reproduce it in our house.
 |
| THE OTHER END OF THE CHAPEL. A LITTLE LESS ALL-OVER COLOR. |
 |
| A TASTEFUL BORDER FOR OUR CEILINGS. THESE CHERUBS HOVER ABOVE ONE OF TWO GRAND STAIRWAYS IN THE HOSPITAL. |
Our living/dining room (salon) has lofty and enchanting scalloped ceilings. The idea of taping it all beforehand doesn't excite me. The idea of painting all those scallops without taping excites me even less. And their twelve feet up. I get a crick in my neck just thinking about it. San Geraldo had said he would do it all. And he's a really good painter. But he usually starts painting and then 10 minutes in says, "I'm bored," which is probably why it's been a year and we haven't done anything. The scallops would be a lot more dramatic if there were some more contrast on the walls. Right now the ceilings are white, the walls are off-white, and the balcony doors and shutters are white.
 |
| DINING ROOM. |
 |
| LIVING ROOM. |
Jerry and I love bold color. But, if reproducing the chapel in the Hospital de los Venerables doesn't work out, we're thinking of painting two shades of rich "golden cork" in the salon and a rusty terra cotta in the entry, retaining the off-white trim.
Either that or we'll illustrate the history of our first 30 years together in continuous frescoes. We'll see.
 |
| THE CHAPEL'S TRIBUTE TO JERRY'S 22-GREATS GRANDFATHER SAINT FERDINAND THE KING. I WONDER IF WE CAN GET ONE FOR OUR HOUSE. HE IS A RELATION. |
Carlos likens our house to the Golden Gate Bridge because as soon as I get done painting one room, I am on to the next and when i finish the entire house I will very likely start all over again!
ReplyDeleteI love painting, but, yeah, those chapels would do me in in a hot minute!
Bob:
DeleteJerry's sister always said if it was time to paint again, it was time to build a new house and move. And that's what they always did until this last one. They've now repainted inside and out. She'd rather build another one.
I have painted the entire inside of my house(several times) and already want to change the color, I am so getting someone in the next time, and if I had those amazing cielings you do it wouldnt be a question hire it done ....place looks amazing btw :)
ReplyDeleteMonkey Man:
DeleteIf we DO paint, I think we'll move before we have to paint again!
We painted the inside of our house … once. It was enough. I was banned from assisting after getting paint in my eye.
ReplyDeleteJenners:
DeleteVery crafty. Jerry screwed up once when he did the laundry and never had to do laundry again.
You should have the dude who did the chapel do your place too!
ReplyDeleteMark:
DeleteGreat idea. Do you suppose they're still in business?
Just found your blog and I think it's great. I love Spain and have been several times. I'm particularly fascinated by Spanish painting and I've haunted the Prado on many occasions. I hope you'll visit me at Chubby Chatterbox where I write about art, humor and nostalgia. I think we might find that we have much in common. If you do come for a visit and like what you find, I hope you'll take a moment to press the Join button and I'll return the compliment. I look forward to reading more of your adventures. Take care.
ReplyDeleteChubby Chatterbox
Hi Stephen:
DeleteThanks for visiting and for the compliment. I look forward to checking out the Chubby Chatterbox! (And I really look forward to haunting the Prado myself; haven't had that chance yet.)
Hey Mitch! You know we gays can do pretty much anything we set our minds to do! Don't you? I think you guys should go for it! It may take a while but would so be worth it! lol
ReplyDeleteJim:
DeleteWell, what these gays have set their minds to is letting someone else do the work!
I love the cool, light interior of your place! Personally, I'm partial to green but it sounds like you're leaning toward warm colors.
ReplyDeleteThat scalloped ceiling is really distinctive and anything that compliments it would be a plus. Can't wait to see the finished product!
Ms. Sparrow:
DeleteWe also love green, but we've got a solid green sofa and arm chairs and didn't want green walls behind that... especially if we don't get the color quite right (some shades just don't work together). Choosing a golden tone gives us room for mistakes!
Can't wait for the product to be finished!
Starting a job like that is the hardest part. It takes me forever to get going. Then I find it so therapeutic and don't want to stop, once I get going.
ReplyDeleteStew:
DeleteI've never found painting the house therapeutic. I'm always happy with the results but it's always something I simply want to get done.
Thought you were going for that religious mural effect when you said you were going to do some painting...
ReplyDeleteFrank:
DeleteYeah, my first thought was to do all the stations of the cross, but I don't think the Dowager Duchess would like that much! Maybe we could do the entire Nile River including Moses floating by in a basket. (That actually sounds kind of fun to me, come to think of it.)
Don't they sell replicas in the museum store?
ReplyDeleteThe Semper Opera building in Dresden, after it was destroyed during WW2, got restored by using paper copies of the ceiling paintings. You could do that too. In your case it's not restoring but adding old world charm to a new world apartment.
Peter:
DeleteSadly, no replicas of San Fernando.
You've now got me thinking of sending off one of my photos and having it reproduced in grand scale on canvas for over my bed. Hmmm.
Rusty terra cotta sounds like a great color (or a great porn name). It's a color I'm considering for my "accent wall" in the main stair here.
ReplyDeleteWalt the Fourth:
DeleteI do like the name Rusty Terracotta. But I can't decide between porn name or drag name (which are both unlikely in my case). From the photos you guys have posted of your main stair, I can imagine the color being incredible there. But, if you paint first, does that mean we have to choose something different?
I think our homes are far enough away from each other that Europe will manage to cope with both. ;)
DeleteAt the hospital chapel - is that some sort of washable vinyl or a regular wallpaper?
ReplyDeleteThe Owl Wood:
DeleteI hadn't thought of it. But, it IS a hospital. Must be vinyl. (Jerry is still laughing about your comment.)
I know I'm going to hire someone to do any more painting in this house, and I think you should too! I'm partial to the mural of the nile with Moses in his rusk basket. Maybe you could do a wall of Egyptian gods in case it feels boring. How cold does Seville get in the winter? I love your cool colors for the hot summers. Love rusty terracotta but will it look good with your carpets? And did you pose for that Ferdinand statue?
ReplyDeleteKristi:
DeleteOK. The bullrushes should be fun to paint. The Dowager Duchess, however, might prefer if I give some Israelites equal time. Maybe a mural's not such a good idea!
This past winter, Sevilla got down overnight to at worst 39F. But the coldest days usually got back up into the 50s. So, really not bad. 60s during the day was common.
The rusty terra cotta actually complements the color in the rugs, but we're only using it in the entry anyway (not pictured in the photos), so they're nowhere near each other.