拍品专文
"This batea (large wooden bowl or tray), oval in shape is a most interesting 18th Century Mexican work. It is decorated in the center with the coat of arms of the Dominican order, identifiable by its colors, the cross with arms of equal lengths, the presence of the star, which is supposed to have appeared at the birth of St. Dominic, and finally by the dog with a torch in its mouth. This last element symbolizes the power of preaching, as the Dominican order is formally known as the Order of Preachers. The dog is there because of a pun: "Domini canes" (Dominicans), which in Latin means the "dogs of the Lord". The flat hat with tassels which appears over the shield indicates religious authority. The inscription on the band that frames the rocaille and the shield confirms the fact that the batea was made for someone with ecclesiastical authority.
The decoration of the batea suggests that it was made in Pátzcuaro in Michoacan, where designs were painted over the base color of the "maque" or mexican lacquer that covered the object. These designs tended to be rather free in form and often showed figures and scenes among foliage and flowers, as in this piece. These charateristics differentiate Pátzcuaro production from that of other places in Mexico, where designs either were done in a different technique or were larger and more repetitive.
The inscription not only gives the date, but also the owner and destination. Despite these specific details, this is the most puzzling aspect of the batea, because the nun is thus far unknown and there is no Dominican convent in Querétaro. One possible explanation is that the batea is evidence of a Dominican settlement in Querétaro which did not prosper. In fact, we do know of such a settlement. The famous Querétaro sculptor of the 18th Century, Pedro de Rojas, directed in his will of 1762 that after his death his workshop be converted into a Convent for Dominican nuns. He also stipulated that if this did not take place whithin 10 years, the funds should be re-directed to the Franciscan convent of Santa Rosa, which had been founded in 1752. His funds were in fact donated to the Fanciscans in 1783, which leads us to believe that the Dominican convent, planned in 1762, never prospered. The mention of the convent in Roja's will and this batea are, so far, the only clues that point to the existence of a Dominican convent in Querétaro."
Carla Bargellini, Mexico City
December 3, 1993
The decoration of the batea suggests that it was made in Pátzcuaro in Michoacan, where designs were painted over the base color of the "maque" or mexican lacquer that covered the object. These designs tended to be rather free in form and often showed figures and scenes among foliage and flowers, as in this piece. These charateristics differentiate Pátzcuaro production from that of other places in Mexico, where designs either were done in a different technique or were larger and more repetitive.
The inscription not only gives the date, but also the owner and destination. Despite these specific details, this is the most puzzling aspect of the batea, because the nun is thus far unknown and there is no Dominican convent in Querétaro. One possible explanation is that the batea is evidence of a Dominican settlement in Querétaro which did not prosper. In fact, we do know of such a settlement. The famous Querétaro sculptor of the 18th Century, Pedro de Rojas, directed in his will of 1762 that after his death his workshop be converted into a Convent for Dominican nuns. He also stipulated that if this did not take place whithin 10 years, the funds should be re-directed to the Franciscan convent of Santa Rosa, which had been founded in 1752. His funds were in fact donated to the Fanciscans in 1783, which leads us to believe that the Dominican convent, planned in 1762, never prospered. The mention of the convent in Roja's will and this batea are, so far, the only clues that point to the existence of a Dominican convent in Querétaro."
Carla Bargellini, Mexico City
December 3, 1993