In the spring of 1622, various celebrations took place at the “royal site” of Aranjuez to celebrate Philip IV’s first birthday as king, following his accession to the throne after the death of Philip III. There was no shortage of theatrical performances promoted by Queen Isabella of Bourbon, who, a great lover of the theatre, commissioned several plays to be performed during the festivities. The Count of Villamediana responded to the commission with the comedy La Gloria de Niquea, with the queen herself playing the role of the goddess of Beauty.
The exultant nature of the Royal Site favoured the choice of the Island garden (Jardín de la isla), on the banks of the Tagus, next to the palace, as a proscenium for the staging. The magnificent ephemeral theatre that was built generated great expectations among the spectators. The scenography was particularly brilliant. Visual and acoustic surprises during the performance alternated with olfactory sensations designed to surprise the audience.
One of the chariots devised in the staging, was drawn by Taurus:

The natural context of the garden, linked per se to pleasant smells, was enhanced with artificial resources, generating a particularly intoxicating context, evoking an olfactory memory beyond the visual and acoustic: