작품 상세

Tortoiseshell box with a wooden core. Novohispanic workshop. Mexico. 17th century. 14 x 10 x 7 cm. Magnificent chest with corner pieces, handle, and elaborate lock on silver. There is a small crack in the lid. The description published by the Museo de Arte Hispanoamericano Isaac Fernández Blanco Palacio Noel in Buenos Aires, in reference to two similar tortoiseshell and silver pieces—in this case Peruvian— a jewellery box (which could have been the purpose of this casket) and another small casket, provides valuable context. It reads: “The exchange between Asia and the Americas was ongoing from the mid-16th century until the second decade of the 19th century. Two or three times a year, the Manila Galleon crossed the Pacific, linking the Philippines with Mexico and bringing raw materials and luxury goods from Japan, China, India, and Persia. Meanwhile, the register ships patrolling the South American coasts ensured that these products also reached Peru. In this way, decorative motifs, techniques, and materials typical of Oriental art became characteristic features of many Latin American-made items. Such was the case of tortoiseshell, a horn-like material extracted from the shell of the hawksbill turtle—which was used to make everything from combs and reliquaries to veneered furniture such as desks, tables, and cabinets. However, the most distinctive tortoiseshell item of the colonial period was the casket or jewellery box reinforced with silver, featuring silver fittings inspired by Mannerist, Baroque, or Rococo styles. These were made both in Mexico and Peru, mainly for use as jewellery boxes. Some were even exported to Spain, where—owing to their value and exotic appeal—they were also used to contain the Holy Sacrament, despite their clearly secular decoration.” Decorative Arts. Colonial Spanish America.