William Spratling was a leading figure in the resurgence of the Mexican silver industry in the twentieth century. This cross, which combines silver and jade, is representative of Spratling’s interest in alternating different materials and colors. The cross conjures Mexico’s colonial past (see also M.2014.161.3 and M.2014.212.2), while the use of jade reveals his fascination with Mesoamerican art.
An architect from New Orleans, Spratling established his first workshop in Taxco, Mexico, in 1931, working alongside a local master silversmith and several young apprentices. A brilliant marketing strategist, Spratling set out to reinvigorate Taxco’s economy by employing local artisans, catalyzing a renaissance in the Mexican silver industry. Insistence on handiwork and experimentation contributed to a thriving local industry. Designers and craftspeople drew on and creatively reinterpreted a variety of sources, including Mesoamerican art, Arts and Crafts, Art Deco, and modernist motifs.
Ilona Katzew
2014
