Accession Number
1935.30

Title
Santa Maria Major, Ronda

Artist(s)
John Taylor Arms

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1935

Medium & Support
etching on paper

Dimensions
7 15/16 in x 5 1/4 in (20.16 cm x 13.34 cm);19 in x 14 1/8 in (48.26 cm x 35.88 cm);12 3/16 in x 9 1/8 in (30.96 cm x 23.18 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
The print depicts the church of Santa María la Major in Ronda, part of Spain's southernmost regions, Andalusia. Begun in 1485 and not completed until the 17th century, it combines several different architectural styles.
The print was part of Arms' series of prints depicting Spanish churches, and was the ninth print published by the American College Society of Print Collectors (1934-35). Arms said of the print, "I selected Santa Maria Major as being architecturally the most interesting. I was particularly interested in this church by the contrast between the ornate and detailed tower and the simplicity of the rest of the church, as well as by the charming placing of the church among white-walled houses, together with the cypress trees in front of it which gave it a beautiful setting. This is one of the loveliest small churches I have seen in Spain..."

Physical Description
The print depicts a three-story building with a large tower. The building is made of stucco and brick, with several balconies. The tower features a clock on its front face, and an arcaded belfry. An ornate spire crowns the structure. Cypress trees stand along the front of the building at the edge of a drive and yard. A somewhat stormy-looking sky casts strong shadows of the trees against the building. 
Signed and dated in pencil below the image, lower left, "II", and lower right, “John Taylor Arms - 1935”
 

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
intaglio print

Collection Area
Western

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
Callitris (genus)
Renaissance
architectural drawings (visual works)
belfries (equipment spaces)
buildings
churches (buildings)
clocks
etching (printing process)
landscapes (representations)
modern and contemporary art
streets
tower
towers (building divisions)
trees