Saint James appears to King Ramiro I of Asturias in a dream before the Battle of Clavijo

Sketch for a ceiling painting by the artist Mariano Salvador Maella, intended for the fresco on the right side of the transept of the Royal Collegiate Church of La Granja de San Ildefonso.

It depicts the Apparition of Saint James in a dream to King Ramiro I of Asturias before the Battle of Clavijo, between the Christian and Muslim armies, a subject linked to the glorification of the Spanish monarchy and Catholicism. According to legend, the apostle Saint James appeared in the midst of the battle and helped the Christians achieve a great victory. It depicts Saint James on horseback in the dreams of Ramiro I, as he sleeps in a tent. On the left, soldiers stand guard, while on the right, the dream scene appears, showing Saint James accompanying the christian soldiers as they defeat the Muslims.