Catavinos of the town hall of Becerril de Campos, 1806.
With legend on the base ("Catavino del Ilustrísimo Cabildo de Becerril de Campos with Royal Privilege year 1806").
Posted in: Fernández, Alejandro et alt. Encyclopedia of Spanish and American Viceregal silver, Torreangulo Graphic Art, Madrid, 1985. Page 485. / Redondo Aguayo, Anselmo. Historical monograph of the town of Becerril de Campos and biographical news of its most illustrious sons. Tello Tellez de Meneses Institution Bulletin, 9, 1952. Page 149.
Plain vase with legend on the outer rim attached to a bowl with a convex seat decorated with raised gallons, engraved ovals and 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 seventeenth century; It has not changed since then, maintaining its use and manufacture.
According to experts, these types of pieces were called "cups" until the nineteenth century, and we are not entirely 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.
The gallon motifs, like the oval shapes, are geometric decorations widely used in this type of piece, especially since the Renaissance and for the inspiration of this artistic style in Roman Antiquity. In the 19th century this inspiration in classicism returned to art, hand in hand with Neoclassicism. Despite the simplicity of the elements, there is a clear attempt by the artist to organize them harmoniously to give the piece beauty. Both the material and the decorative excess (to come from a local center) support the theory, already mentioned, that the catavinos would have more a representation use than normal use, being used in certain celebrations or acts in which the council had a prominent role.
In Anselmo Redondo's study this catavino is mentioned. It is very rare to keep examples of civil silverware, since their owners used to sell objects with the intention of buying new ones, either better or made in a more modern artistic style, or for economic reasons. Thus, the most common is to find religious silverware, which is the same as civil or varying only in its decorative elements. In addition, civil pieces used to be delivered to churches, convents, etc. as donations from individuals. However, it is worth highlighting the extraordinary nature of this catavinos: first, for its material; second, by its typology; third, because its inscription makes it easy to locate its origin and date. There are catavinos with similar characteristics to the present in the Fundación Lázaro Galdiano in Madrid.
Weight: 315 gr"
· Size: 19x19x6 cms.
ANTIQUES
MISCELLANEOUS;SILVER WORKS