Medieval Fencers Ceiling Painting, Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California, 2013

Medieval Fencers Ceiling Painting, Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California, 2013

Hearst Castle has the ‘largest collection of antique ceilings in North America,’ which is to say, every ceiling in the building is an original historical ceiling from elsewhere. This one depicts four medieval figures with weapons: sword-and-buckler, spear-and-shield, sword-and-shield, and another with sword-and-buckler.

Bayeux Tapestry Lampshades, Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California

Bayeux Tapestry Lampshades, Hearst Castle, San Simeon, California

These lampshades, painted with scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry, were in one of the fine rooms reserves for single women visitors to the castle. Despite W. R. Hearst living extramaritally with his girlfriend, rather than his wife, there were apparently strict rules of decorum for other single female guests.