MARK OF J. TORRICELLA, MONTEVIDEO, CIRCA 1880

Details

A PAIR OF URUGUAYAN THREE-COLOUR GOLD STIRRUPS
MARK OF J. TORRICELLA, MONTEVIDEO, CIRCA 1880
Each of typical form, with scalloped border chased in high relief with flowerhead on bed of leaves on matted ground below a band of acanthus, the footrest with applied trelliswork in an oval cartouche, the arms chased with flower festoons on matted ground, marked on the eye of the stirrup with maker's mark name
5 in. (12.5 cm.) high
18 oz. 19 dwt. (590 gr.)

Provenance

Probably for Máximo Benito Santos Barbosa (1847-1889).
Anonymous sale; Christie's, New York, 21 October 1993, lot 366.
Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, New York, 17 October 2008, lot 89.

Literature

Javier A. & José M. Eguiguren Molina, Equestrian Silver in The River Plate – Platería Ecuestre Rioplatense,
Eguiguren Arte de Hispanoamérica, 2014, illustrated.

Lot Essay

These pair of stirrups are believed to have been made for General Santos, President of the Republic of Uruguay.
Máximo Benito Santos Barbosa (1847 - 1889) was a Uruguayan political and military figure. He served as Minister for War from 1880 to 1882 before serving as President of Uruguay from 1882 until 1886. He was succeeded as president by Francisco Antonino Vidal although he returned briefly for a few months in 1886. Subsequently Santos travelled in Europe, but was unable to return to Uruguay and died in exile in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1889.
These stirrups may have been made at the time of his appointment as President of Uruguay.

J. Torricella came from Venice to settle in Uruguay and was, together with Bellini, the official goldsmith to President Santos.