Caravel Santa María; Spain, 20th century.

Santa Maria Caravel; Spain, 20th century.
Silver 925.
With punches.
Measurements: 40 x 38 x 11 cm (total).
Weight: 2022 g. (total weight with base).
The piece is a silver model that reproduces in meticulous detail the Santa Maria, one of the three caravels that were part of the expedition of Christopher Columbus in 1492. The model shows the hull, the deck, etc., highlighting the fidelity with which the proportions and structures of the original ship are faithfully represented. The sails, open and taut, contribute to give the whole a sense of restrained dynamism.
The treatment of the metal reveals a careful casting, embossing and chiseling work that allows us to perceive the constructive details: the rigging, the rigging and the ornamental finials, all executed with almost miniaturist precision.
It is a ship with three masts and a jib, with sails unfurled and swollen by the headwind, with all the details represented with care and attention to detail. The caravels were light sailing ships used in transoceanic voyages throughout the 15th and 16th centuries and especially known for having been the ships used by Christopher Columbus on his voyage to America. From the mid-sixteenth century and throughout the seventeenth century, caravels began to be replaced by other types of ships such as galleons, with more cargo capacity and resistance.