The set of Nasrid tiles dated at the beginning of the 14th century in the Archaeological Museum of Córdoba

Abstract

This work analizes the iconography and sets the date and origin of the thirty five lustreware tiles decorated with cobalt coming from the chapel identified as that of St Jacques in the former church of St Bartholomew, wich was built in the Jewish quarter after the assault in 1391. We formulate the hypothesis that these tiles were purchased by Diego Fernandez Abencaçin, converso and main alfaqueque or captives’ rescuer, who was presumably the funerary chapel’s patron. To date, the only interpretation of the scenes depicted in these tiles pointed to a possible representation of the allegory of the senses. However, the comparison between these scenes and other similar examples, the study of the garment and the artistic style lead to decipher them as a proof of the privileged classes’ tastes and interests at the beginning of the fifteenth century. Courting love, hunting, fauna, the minstrels –especially the blind man accompanied by the guide–, the dancers and the wine-taster; customs which the alfaqueque saw during his stays at the court and while he was carrying out his role, not only as a redeemer of christian captives, but as a translator and emissary working for the infant don Fernando –future king of Aragon- during the campaing of Antequera in the presence of the nasrid court in Granada and during the truces laterly signed with Yusuf III. Due to all these facts, it has been possible to date the tiles between 1410 and 1415.