This brooch design by William Spratling features the head of Quetzalcoatl, the Mexica feathered serpent deity. The motif is directly inspired by a famous basalt cuauhxicalli (http://mediateca.inah.gob.mx/islandora_74/islandora/object/objetoprehispanico%3A16505), a stone vessel used in ritual sacrifices, that features two facing feathered-serpent heads (now in the Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City). The incised lines in Spratling’s design evoke the carved surface of the ancient ceremonial bowl.
Trained as an architect, Spratling moved from New Orleans to Taxco, Mexico, where he established his first silver workshop in 1931. Working alongside master silversmiths and local apprentices, in 1935 he opened his famed Taller de Las Delicias, which attracted a cohort of international artists, intellectuals, and Hollywood celebrities. Spratling’s emphasis on craftsmanship and his experimentation with different sources, including Mesoamerican art, Art Deco, and modernism, contributed to his great success and helped revitalize the Mexican silver industry.
Rachel Kaplan
2025
