Catavinos of the town council of Becerril de Campos, 1806. With legend on the base (“Catavino del Illustrísimo Cabildo de Becerril de Campos con Real Privilegio año de 1806”). Published in: Fernández, Alejandro et al. Spanish and American Viceregal Silver Encyclopedia, Torreangulo Graphic Art, Madrid, 1985. P. 485. / Redondo Aguayo, Anselmo. Historical monograph of the town of Becerril de Campos and biographical news of its most illustrious sons. Bulletin of the Tello Tellez de Meneses Institution, 9, 1952. P. 149. Smooth glass with a legend on the outer edge attached to a bowl with a convex seat decorated with embossed gallons, ovals and engraved crosses and lines of beads arranged around a central circle that has been left smooth. Due to its shape, it is closer to the Bordeaux type catavinos than to the Burgundian type (the most common), and its shape seems to have been characteristic of Castile in the 17th century; It has not changed since then, maintaining its use and manufacture. According to experts, these types of pieces were called "cups" until the 19th century, and we are not completely sure that their use was utilitarian, with certain studies leaning towards a mainly decorative function. This would be the reason why, despite being a piece made in a secondary manufacturing center such as the municipality of Palencia, it presents decoration all over its surface, in addition to the written legend. Gallon motifs, like oval shapes, are geometric decorations widely used in this type of piece, especially since the Renaissance and due to the inspiration of this artistic style in Roman Antiquity. In the 19th century this inspiration in classicism returned to art, thanks to Neoclassicism. Despite the simplicity of the elements, a clear attempt by the artist to organize them harmoniously to give beauty to the piece can be seen. Both the material and the decorative excess (to come from a local center) support the theory, already mentioned, that the catavinos would have more representational use than normal use, being used in certain celebrations or acts in which the council had a prominent role. In the study of Anselmo Redondo this catavino is mentioned. It is very rare to keep examples of civilian silverware, as their owners used to sell objects with the intention of buying new ones, or better ones, or made in a more modern artistic style, or for economic reasons. Thus, the most common thing is to find religious silverware, which is the same as civil silverware or varies only in its decorative elements. In addition, civil pieces used to be delivered to churches, convents, etc. as private donations. It is convenient, however, to highlight the extraordinary thing about this catavinos: first, because of its material; second, by its typology; third, because its inscription makes it easy to locate its origin and its date. Tasters with similar characteristics to the present are found at the Fundación Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid. Weight: 315 grams
· Size: 19x19x6 cms.
ANTIQUES
MISCELLANEOUS;SILVER WORKS