The Spanish Cloister reflects Isabella Gardner’s lifelong interest in the intermingling of cultures across continents. John Singer Sargent’s painting of a Gypsy dance is framed by a Moorish-style arch designed specifically for this space, reminiscent of the architectural style that developed in Islamic Spain in the early Middle Ages. On either side of the painting are artifacts that evoke Spain’s ties with the Islamic world: tiles from Asia and carved panels from Africa.