In this charming design by William Spratling, a stylized silver monkey is perched atop a simple rosewood box. Spratling studied Mesoamerican art, frequently adapting its motifs in his silver designs. Monkeys were highly symbolic animals, featuring in Mexica and Maya creation myths. The one here recalls carved stone Mezcala examples (M.86.311.21), while the overall design of the container crowned with a monkey is reminiscent of Maya precedents (see M.2010.115.1017a-b and M.2010.115.1016a-b). Spratling often combined silver with more “humble” substances such as local rosewood. According to the designer, despite the varying commercial value of these two distinct materials, they came from the same earth and visually enhanced one another. He found the contrast of the dark wood and shiny silver particularly pleasing.
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
