the collection | 3d gallery | 3D in Silverwork

The Franz Mayer Museum in

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Silverwork in 3D

In order to view the Gallery images you will use "Stereo Photo Viewer" applet. This viewer has been developed in Java2 environment and will let you view the 3-D stereo photographs in a variety of stereo viewing modes and sizes.

The Viewer will display each image only after it has been thoroughly downloaded to your computer. The Viewer does not include a download progress bar, only a brief message in the browser's window title bar: "Loading images..." followed by "preparing the image display...", after this, the image will be displayed (*).

(*) If you have Windows XP and version 1.4.2. from Java (or newer) installed in your PC, once downloaded, the images will be stored in cache, so they do not need to be downloaded again in this or later sessions.

_F Click on any image to open the Viewer in a new window and view the 3D Gallery.

_F Inside the Viewer navigate within the Gallery through the drop-down menu.

For Help: in the Viewer press [F1] key.
If you wish to close the Viewer and come back to this page, press [ESC] key.

This page uses JAVA. If you find display troubles, please install latest JAVA runtime.

Angels of the Passion                                                         [117 Kb ] Cast, forged and chased silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. New Spain, 18th C. 30 x 17 x 19 cm. Angels like these were used to decorate the platforms of religious processions. These pieces are related to the Passion, and are thus thought to have ornamented platforms in the procession of Corpus Christi. Coconut-Shell Chocolate Cups                                                          [ 86 Kb ] Coconut with sgrafitto, cast, forged and chased silver details and inlaid shell. New Spain, 17–18 C. 14 x 10 x 7.7 cm. (largest) These cups were made with burnished coconut shells occasionally inlaid with other materials (e.g. shell), with silver handles, stems and rivets added; they were used for drinking chocolate in New Spain. Cigarette Cases                                                                                          [ 109 Kb ] Cast, forged and chased gold in three colors with burnished punchwork. New Spain/Mexico. 18–19 C. 7 x 5 x 3 cm. (largest) Small cases or containers used to store cigarettes. Smoking was a widespread habit in New Spain and independent Mexico. These luxury objects were ubiquitous at well-to-do gatherings where both men and women smoked and/or inhaled snuff. Thurible                                                                                                         [ 81 Kb ] Cast, forged and chased silver with burnished punchwork. Mexico City, 1823–1843 70 x 13 Ø cm. This thurible bears the hallmark of Cayetano Buitrón, one of the most important assayers in the early nineteenth century; the assayer was in charge of verifying the silver’s quality and collecting the tax. Crown                                                                                                             [ 89 Kb ] Cast, forged and chased silver with burnished punchwork. New Spain, 1750–1800 26.5 x 20.5 cm. An imperial crown topped by an orb and cross; it draws on a diverse repertoire of decorative motifs prevalent in the period in which it was made, such as rocaille and lathe-turned details. Processional Cross (detail)                                                                   [ 93 Kb ] Martín DE MENDIOLA.  Cast, forged and chased silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. Mexico City, New Spain, c. 1557 79 x 42 x 22 cm. This is the oldest piece of hallmarked silverware from New Spain in the museum’s collection. On one side it depicts Christ on the Cross and on the other, St. Catherine of Alexandria, in a style reminiscent of the Gothic. Ex-Voto (scepter)                                                                                       [ 70 Kb ] Cast, forged and chased silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. Alhama de Aragón (?), Spain, 1707. 20 x 11 x 11 cm. The ex-voto is a believer’s offering to God, the Virgin Mary or a saint in thanks for a blessing or favor granted. Chalices                                                                                                        [ 134 Kb ] Cast, forged and chased silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. New Spain/Mexico, 17th–19th C. 27 x 15 cm. (largest) Cups used in Catholic liturgy to contain and consecrate the wine. The three pieces here  are from different times and places of origin: Mexico City and Antequera de Oaxaca, in the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Ciborium                                                                                                        [ 65 Kb ] Cast, forged, chased and gilded silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. Mexico City, New Spain, late 18th C. 26 x 15 Ø cm. Due to its important role in the liturgy, a ciborium’s inner surface must be coated in gold. In this piece, the exterior is also gilt. It was achieved through a technique called dorado a fuego in which gold was mixed with quicksilver (mercury). Tray (detail)                                                                                                 [ 116 Kb ] Hans WAIDELYN. Cast, forged and chased silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. Augsburg, Germany, 1594. 42 x 56 x 3 cm. In a scene of the Great Flood, human figures struggle against the rising water; the contorted bodies are a display of the silversmith’s skill. Prayer Lectern                                                                                         [ 121 Kb ] Cast, forged, chased and partially gilt silver with repoussé. Guanajuato (?), New Spain, c. 1760. 41 x 36 x 35 cm. Prayers written or engraved on objects —a lectern in this case— were called sacras and were used as memory aids by priests during liturgical ceremonies. Eucharistic Urn (detail)                                                                          [ 135 Kb ] Juan POSE. Cast, forged and chased silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. Santiago de Compostela (?), Spain,late 17th C. 78 x 50 x 34 cm. This piece features a spectacular combination of the main silversmithing techniques; the lost wax casting stands out in the caryatids and in the principal motif—the archangel Michael defeating Satan. Tray (detail)                                                                                               [ 120 Kb ] Marx WEINOLD. Cast, forged, chased and partially gilt silver with repoussé and burnished punchwork. Augsburg, Germany, c. 1680. 65 x 57 x 4 cm. A detail of a border of beautifully chased and repoussé fruits with a color combination of silver and gold. The central motif of the tray depicts the Queen of Sheba before King Solomon.

3D Stereoscopic Photography Jorge Westendarp Galofré
Viewer: JAVA Applet StereoPhotoViewer by Masuji Suto