Spanish
Royal Arms of the Catholic Kings, about 1493-1495
Iron, 55.9 x 43.2 cm (22 x 17 in.)
This gray iron coat of arms is positioned on the beige overmantel of the fireplace in the Gothic Room. An eagle holds the actual coat of arms. The eagle is upright with its wings held up, close to its body, and folded back. The wings are covered with layers of short feathers with longer feathers at the ends. The eagle’s head is positioned to look directly forward, so that just its sharp pointed beak, and some short feathers beneath it, are visible. The eagle holds the iron coat of arms with its curved talons on each side. Below the coat of arms, the bird’s long, straight tail feathers are visible. The coat of arms is rectangular with a grate of openwork at the top and a rounded bottom that comes to a point in the center. It is divided into multiple sections, some containing vertical strips of iron, others containing the image of a lion rearing up on its back legs, and still others containing the image of a castle made up of three towers.
Gothic Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.