puerta alcala spain madrid souvenir memento ceramic porcelain decorative plate

Description

the dish
i can find no issues. this dish depicts the well-known (at least in madrid) puerta de alcala (more on that below). by arte madrid (signed on the reverse). it is finished in an elaborate satin and shiney gold border. you can read more about arte madrid (an association of art galleries) below. the gold really gives the dish presence. very subtly scalloped edge. the dish is 9 3/4" in diameter and the rim is 1" away from the surface on which the plate rests.
about arte madrid
(from: artemadrid.com/en/arte-madrid/)
arte madrid, association of modern and contemporary art galleries of madrid, founded in 2000, is made up of some 50 galleries spread throughout the city, representing more than 500 artists.
the association was born with the aim of valuing the work of galleries as a catalyst for contemporary art in our city. the development of cultural activity in the spaces is proposed with a didactic and informative sense where the promotion of the work of the artists they represent takes full prominence; understanding art as a fundamental element in shaping the individual as such and as a group or society.
the galleries support and complement the artist and promote their work, acting as intermediaries between them and the different agents of the art world, ensuring that thought and aesthetic values are put in contact with society and its context.
the gallery space is open to all types of visitors and the exhibitions can be visited at no cost to the public, being the only private cultural industry free for society.
in turn, the galleries work and dedicate resources to the promotion and visibility of the artist on the international scene, collaborate in the production of exhibitions and encourage the acquisition of works by private, public, national or international collectors.
since its creation, arte madrid mobilizes and connects the public by publishing an art map distributed among the cultural and business sector of the city that includes the programming of all its associates and a selection of institutions and public art spaces, both private and public. this year the map becomes a digital app in order to offer the local, national and international public an even more complete and personalized experience that is directly accessible and adaptable to all their mobile devices.
since 2009 arte madrid organizes apertura, our madrid gallery weekend, the beginning of the season for madrid art galleries. the event, which began as a joint inauguration of the galleries of the capital, has become in less than a decade a must on the artistic calendar, both for the public and for collectors, national and international. in 2020 apertura celebrates its 11th edition.
this year, arte madrid joins the brussels, düsseldorfe/cologne, lisbon, milan, paris and zurich gallery weekends to launch art across europea, a collaborative network between european cities that aims to promote each city's local artistic scenes and their specificities, the creation of links between all of them, and the creation of new possibilities of visibility, mobility and production among professionals in the sector. cross-border content and conversations will be created regularly and will once again be available to the public for free.
about puerta de alcala
(from: theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-puerta-de-alcala-monument/)
the puerta de alcalá (door of alcalá) is a monument that, as its name suggests, was once one of the five doors used to enter the walled city of madrid when travelers visited from france, aragón, and catalonia. situated next to the famous parque del buen retiro, the puerta de alcalá is an emblematic monument in madrid today, though the city is no longer walled and stretches far beyond the gate's location.
what stands today wasn't the first door of alcalá that was built in madrid. a smaller and less glorious version of the door was located closer to the city center in the 1500s. when king carlos iii came into power, he decided that the original door wasn’t going to suffice and insisted a new door be constructed. after viewing proposals from famous architects ventura rodríguez and josé de hermosilla, he finally chose the italian architect francisco sabatini's design. in 1764, the original puerta de alcalá was demolished and construction began on the new door. the puerta de alcalá was completed in 1769 and officially inaugurated in 1778.
the gate, which measures 19.5 meters tall, has five arches in total with ornamental statues at the top created by sculpture artists francisco gutiérrez and roberto michel. The statues have been said to represent virtues such as prudence, justice, restraint, and courage.
the door, which is known for its neoclassical design style, is similar to many of the Roman triumphal arches you see around the world. the monument has been restored five times since its original construction. in fact, it’s known for being one of the first triumphal arches constructed in europe after the Roman empire fell, constructed before the arc de triomphe in paris and the brandenburg gate in berlin. the name of the monument comes from name of the route leading from Madrid to the nearby village of alcalá de Henares, which today is a bustling suburb housing the famous University of alcalá.
many interesting facts surround this famous monument. it was actually once used as a special route for the seasonal migration of livestock, meaning that sheep crossing through the door was a regular occurrence. to honor this tradition, one fall sunday per year, madrid celebrates the trashumancia festival, where 2,000 sheep are paraded through the center of madrid and through this monument. it's quite a sight to see!
during the spanish civil war, the door was repeatedly hit by bullets and bomb shrapnel, and the damage can still be seen on the door today. famous singers and bands such as katy perry, thirty seconds to mars, and linkin park have all performed live from the puerta de alcalá in recent years.
visiting the monument in spring, when the flower gardens in front are in bloom is as especially beautiful. another great time to visit is around the holidays, when the monument is lit up when christmas lights and decorations.
maker's and/or other marks
by arte madrid (signed on the reverse).
dimensions
the dish is 9 3/4" in diameter and the rim is 1" away from the surface on which the plate rests.
condition
i can find no issues.
the fine print
the images are the majority of the listing description, so take a look at them closely.
shipping costs have really increased—this is calculated into the buy-it-now price.
i am not able to sell individual items from items i have listed as a group. i just don't have the stamina to create new listings for those. i apologize for that. i haven't initially individually listed items because i don't have enough listing slots to so.
trying to downsize some, though extremely melancholically.
shipping time: i otherwise work more than full time and my health isn't great, so kindly excuse the longer handling time. if i am able to ship sooner, i absolutely will do that
. i appreciate you taking the time to view my listing.