Best known for his innovative silver designs, William Spratling in fact worked with a variety of stones, metals, and woods to dazzling effect. Around 1938, he began employing amethyst, abundantly mined in Mexico, alongside silver to emphasize the contrast between the two materials. The combination resulted in a distinctive line of designs that Spratling continued throughout his career (see, e.g., M.2013.4.10 and M.2013.4.3).
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
2024
