This is a painting of some of the many arches that comprise the Patio de Los Leones within the Alhambra complex in Granada, Spain. The patio's construction was commissioned as part of the Nasrid palaces built by Sultan Muhammed V between 1362 and 1391. The most famous part of this area of the Alhambra is the Fountain of the Lions in the centre of the courtyard.

Rather than attempt to capture the full courtyard in a painting, I decided to focus on a small portion: three arches and four of the 124 white marble columns that hold them up. I love the architecture of the Alhambra, particularly the way it relies on geometric shapes that give the sense of being minimalist while actually being intensely detailed on close inspection. This was a challenge to capture in a small painting.

We visited the Alhambra in December of 2017. It was my second visit there, and Granada remains one of my favourite places.