Sea coconut (Lodoicea maldivica). Sychelles Islands, 20th century.

Sea coconut (Lodoicea maldivica). Sychelles Islands, 20th century.
Natural seed.
On stand.
Measurements: 37 x 35 x 21 cm; 46 cm (height with stand).

The coco de mer, emblematic fruit of the Seychelles, constitutes one of the most extraordinary natural forms of the vegetable kingdom, being the biggest seed known. Originating from the Lodoicea maldivica palm, its characteristic bi-lobed morphology - of marked anthropomorphic suggestion - has nourished for centuries a rich symbolic imaginary linked to fertility and mystery. Before their origin was known, these fruits, found drifting in the Indian Ocean, were considered almost mythical objects, associated with magical properties and appreciated in European and Oriental courts.

From an aesthetic point of view, the piece fascinates by the strength of its organic form, the richness of its texture and the depth of its tonality, which reveal a natural beauty of surprising modernity.

Its cultivation restricted to a protected environment -currently a World Heritage Site- and the regulation of its export reinforce its exceptional character, consolidating it as a piece of special interest within the collecting of natural history and unique objects.