Jesús Domínguez Machuca

Silversmith

©Antonio Iglesias Fotografia

Perfecting a family heritage

Jesús follows the family tradition of silversmithing
He started as an apprentice with his father
Seville influences his work

An admirer of Spanish silverware from the 17th and 18th centuries, Jesús Domínguez is a Sevillian artisan who has been running the Orfebrería Domínguez workshop for more than thirty years. The workshop was founded by his father in 1945 and he started as an apprentice in 1986 at the age of 19. Since then, he has not stopped working with metals. Seville's great goldsmith tradition has influenced the work of craftsmen like Jesús. One of the first objects he made when he took over the workshop was a gold dagger for the Brotherhood of Soledad de San Lorenzo in Seville. What he likes most about his work is the methodology of all the phases and seeing the final result. For him a good silversmith must know how to pause, measure, look and check with the design. "Perfection must be the goal," says Jesús.

Interview

©Javier Comas

©Antonio Iglesias Fotografia

What do you like the most about your creative process?: Many people who enter a silversmith's workshop for the first time are surprised that all the work originates from a sheet of silver, copper, or foil. If I had to mention any skill or specialty, I would mention the setting, mounting, and firing of the pieces.
What would you advise young artisans?: In this craft, you have to be a very methodical and patient person. One must always strive for perfection. I would advise that person to study fine arts and then look for a place in a workshop to learn the techniques of the trade.
What anecdote do you remember from your work?: Perhaps when we made our first gold crown, more than 20 years ago. On that occasion, we used about 3700 grams of gold. The method becomes more precise because you know that each gram of material has a lot of value.
Do tradition and innovation go well together in your work?: The vast majority of our orders are classic goldsmith pieces, I think that almost everything has been created in that field. The innovation lies in learning from the classics and knowing how to combine them with a personal style.

Jesús Domínguez Machuca is an expert artisan he began his career in 1986