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22 - Pair of jícaras or chocolate cups (coco chocolateros). Mexic…

Estimate €2,500 - €4,000

Description

Pair of jícaras or chocolate cups (coco chocolateros). Mexico. 18th century Mounted in exceptionally fine silver settings. 11,5 x 9 x 6,5 cm. y 10,8 x 9 x 6,5 cm. For their relevance, we include three works in which this type of object appears, illustrating how they were integrated into society: two engravings depicting chocolate cups in Philippe Sylvestre Dufour, Traités nouveaux & curieux du café, du thé et du chocolate, Lyon (Girin et Rivière), 1685 (John Carter Brown Library); and the painting Alacena by Antonio Pérez de Aguilar, dated c. 1769, now in the Museo Nacional de Arte, Mexico. Of particular interest is the recent publication by Juan de Lara, “El Coco de Vigo: el coco chocolatero de la Batalla de Rande, 1702,” which highlights the importance of the chocolate cup: The vessels used for drinking chocolate have a fascinating history that dates back centuries to ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. The chocolate beverage, or xocolatl, was a ritual, spiced drink made by mixing cacao with water, flavored with seeds, roots, flowers, chili, and vanilla. It was highly valued by the Maya and Aztec elites and even became a personal favorite of Moctezuma II. These cultures used fruit shells and gourds as cups for this special drink. The arrival of the Spanish in the Americas marked a turning point in the history of chocolate vessels, or jícaras. With the introduction of sugar, honey, and cinnamon, practices derived from Arab Spain, Spanish Creoles adapted the traditional xocolatl recipe to their taste, also replacing water with milk. Chocolate soon became a popular drink in Spain and its American territories, especially in regions corresponding to present-day Venezuela and Mexico. Drinking chocolate was not merely a pastime but also an art and a symbol of social status. Guests in the palaces of New Spain were received with chocolate, and it became customary for women to drink it in the afternoons in gardens or in special rooms known as salones de estrado, governed by strict protocol. Chocolate consumption became a prestigious activity among the New Spanish elite, leading to the creation of refined objects designed for its preparation and enjoyment. Despite Spanish influence, the traditional coconut shell remained the primary vessel for drinking chocolate, due to its perceived magical and health benefits. With the arrival of new artisans in the Americas, silversmiths from Europe and Asia began adding silver mounts, handles, and bases to coconut shells, incorporating Baroque decorative elements such as vine leaves and acanthus motifs. These silver applications enhanced both the elegance and value of the objects, while the shells themselves were carved and engraved with intricate geometric and vegetal designs. The coco chocolatero, as these vessels came to be known, became a symbol of sophistication in the Americas, particularly in regions such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Venezuela. This tradition did not develop to the same extent in other viceroyalties, such as Peru or La Plata, where mate was the primary beverage. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, these objects held significant cultural importance. They were highly valued by the New Spanish elite and were often included in the dowries of noblewomen, as documented in the case of María Luisa Álvarez de Toledo Carreto, Marchioness of Melgar de Fernamental. They were also found in other regions, such as the Canary Islands, where they were listed among valuable possessions, for example, a coconut cup mounted in silver owned in 1618 by Captain Pedro de Ponte y Vergara, valued at 40 reales. Unlike other mounted coconuts collected in Early Modern Europe mainly for their exotic appeal, the coco chocolatero represents a unique fusion of two American products: coconut and chocolate. Its cultural significance makes it an important artifact for understanding both the history of chocolate consumption and the richness of intercultural exchange in the material culture of the Americas. Today, several examples can be found in major museums, including the Museo Franz Mayer, Museo de América, Denver Art Museum, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Museo de Arte Colonial Quinta Anauco, as well as in private collections such as the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection, Museo Amparo, and Museo Soumaya-Fundación Carlos Slim. A comparable example is also held at LACMA, Los Angeles (inv. no. M.2015.69.2), catalogued as Mexico or Guatemala, 17th-18th century. Selected bibliography: - Juan de Lara, University of Oxford, The Khalili Research Centre, Institute of Archaeology, United Kingdom. “El Coco de Vigo: el coco chocolatero de la Batalla de Rande, 1702.” - An. Inst. Investig. Estét vol.46 no.125 Ciudad de México sep. 2024 E pub 28-Jan-2025 - Anales del Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas.

About the sale Dialogues with the Past: Vestigia

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Auction time 07/02/2026 at 7:00 PM

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