Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Joseph Pulitzer Bequest and the Sansbury-Mills Fund. It became part of the museum's permanent collection with accession number 2020.321.
As one of the most accomplished lacquer artist of colonial Mexico (New Spain) Manuel de la Cerda is known exclusively through signed artworks and documentation records of him. He was active in the mid 18th century in Patzcuaro, Michoacan; a region popular for its indigenous lacquerware tradition and the phase of 20 years from the 1750's to the 1770's is regarded as the most successful timespan of his career. This period was also the age of trade and exploration; Mexico as a colony of Spain occupied an important position in global trade. Luxury and household material from all over the world arrived as import to Mexico, while valuable items were exported from Mexico as well. Manuel's style was highly vibrant and decorative due to the exposure he received to the traditional Purepecha Lacquerware practice, utilising floral and animalistic motifs as decorative elements in the lacquerware he produced. His work displays themes influenced by European mythology and literature while the practice demonstrates the pre-Hispanic Purepecha techniques blending and intermingling with an Asian decorative visual language that started to impact Mexican art post 17th century due to the Pacific trade. The lacquerware titled "Turnus Provoked into War by Aeneas" is a wooden tray popularly known as Batea in Mexico. The tray depicts an episode from Virgil's Aeneid; a foundational text of classical literature. Turnus, the leader of the Rutulians, challenges the Trojan hero Aeneas after learning that Aeneas is destined to marry Lavinia. Filled with anger, Turnus rides before the Trojan fortifications, attempting to provoke his enemies into battle. An interesting trait of the imagery is that Aeneas is not present in the central scene, instead Cerda focuses on the dramatic confrontation between Turnus and the Trojan camp, the trojan ships await him at the shoreline behind him. Cerda prefers this cinematic portrayal over a simple direct depiction. Due to the European influence, the colour scheme is identical with Aegean pottery. A coat of deep black lacquer is present over the entire Batea while the ornamentation exhibits bright gold, warm reds, royal greens and blues. The shiny lacquer produces a luminosity, due to which a need to incorporate a naturalistic illumination in the composition is not required. The overlapping figures create spatial depth while the central image represents the destructive consequences of uncontrolled rage. Cerda creates a monumental masterpiece which is uniquely Mexican while exhibiting elements from across the globe. The tray is one of the finest surviving examples of 18th century Mexican lacquerware and is evidence of the invaluable cultural exchange that took place during this age of imperialism.
My Interpretation – Turnus Provoked into War by Aeneas
This artwork portrays the emotional intensity and tragic consequences of conflict. To me, it highlights how pride, anger, and the desire to defend one's honor can quickly turn disagreements into devastating wars. The expressions and movement in the scene create a feeling of tension, making it clear that the decision to fight carries heavy consequences for everyone involved. Rather than celebrating battle, I see the painting as a reminder of the human cost of ambition and rivalry. It encourages viewers to think about the importance of wisdom, patience, and peaceful resolution before allowing emotions to determine the course of history.
