Year 2002
Oil on board
70 x 50 cm

A woman holds in her hands an earthenware jar that she rests on her hip. Further back, from the windows of the Palacio del Generalife you can see the Alhambra, whose existence could not be explained without valuing the element that made it possible: water.

The water from the Darro river was able to reach the Alhambra hillside thanks to a sophisticated hydraulic system that’s primary waterway was the Royal Canal located in the gardens of Generalife. This estate, the extramural walls that make up the great architectural ensemble of Alhambra was the vacation residence of the Nasrid sultans and used for agricultural purposes. Since its establishment it, along with a secondary network of smaller canals assisted by waterwheels and reservoirs, made possible the transformation of these lands into a true and refreshing oasis with the permanent visual and audible presence of pools and fountains in patios and gardens for the enjoyment of the senses.         

The water is symbolic of riches and life. The Arabs always knew how to value it appropriately due to the desert being part of their native environment.

©María José Aguilar