William Spratling
Ashtray with Jaguars (Cenicero con jaguares)1951-1962

Not on view

Silver shallow bowl with flared rim, supported by three small seated animal figures in silver metal, on a three-legged dark wood stand

Small silver coin photographed on a dark wood surface, with a central figural motif surrounded by a circular Latin-script inscription, showing worn and slightly corroded surface detail.

Artist or Maker: William Spratling
United States, active Mexico, 1900-1967
Title: Ashtray with Jaguars (Cenicero con jaguares)
Place Made: Mexico, Taxco
Date Made: 1951-1962
Medium: Silver, ebony
Dimensions: Diameter: 4 in. (10.16 cm); height: 1 3/4 in. (4.45 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Ronald A. Belkin, Long Beach, California
Accession Number: M.2015.190.3
Classification: Furnishings
Collecting Area: Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes: The bowl of this ashtray rests on the backs of three small silver jaguars. The tripod form of the bowl as well as the jaguar motifs recall Mesoamerican vessels (see M.2010.115.78). Jaguars were revered across ancient Mexico for their prowess and were often associated with deities, leaders, and warriors. William Spratling was an avid collector of Mesoamerican art and frequently adapted its motifs in his modern designs. Several of his works include animals, which were important symbolic subjects for Mesoamerican cultures.

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
Copyright: © artist or artist's estate

William Spratling
Ashtray with Jaguars (Cenicero con jaguares)1951-1962

Not on view

Artist or Maker: William Spratling
United States, active Mexico, 1900-1967
Title: Ashtray with Jaguars (Cenicero con jaguares)
Place Made: Mexico, Taxco
Date Made: 1951-1962
Medium: Silver, ebony
Dimensions: Diameter: 4 in. (10.16 cm); height: 1 3/4 in. (4.45 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Ronald A. Belkin, Long Beach, California
Accession Number: M.2015.190.3
Classification: Furnishings
Collecting Area: Latin American Art
Curatorial Notes: The bowl of this ashtray rests on the backs of three small silver jaguars. The tripod form of the bowl as well as the jaguar motifs recall Mesoamerican vessels (see M.2010.115.78). Jaguars were revered across ancient Mexico for their prowess and were often associated with deities, leaders, and warriors. William Spratling was an avid collector of Mesoamerican art and frequently adapted its motifs in his modern designs. Several of his works include animals, which were important symbolic subjects for Mesoamerican cultures.

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