La platería civil compostelana en el tránsito del siglo XIX al XX a través de las fotografías inéditas del archivo del platero Ricardo Martínez Costoya

Abstract

Ricardo Martínez Costoya was one of Santiago de Compostela’s leading artists at the turn of the twentieth century, within the context of the revival of the pilgrimage and the frenetic artistic activity that followed the second inventio of the remains of the Apostle in 1879. The silversmith’s personal archive, consisting of photographs and sketches and unpublished to date, provides a valuable demonstration of silversmithing and is of special interest when it comes to studying civil pieces, which are very rare in Galicia. Comprising more than 150 objects and 60 sketches, the artist’s catalogue constitutes the largest collection of known pieces by a Galician silversmith and reveals a rich and varied eclecticism that encompasses a wide range of styles and artistic influences.