Micaceous Taos/Picuris Pueblos Large Bean Pot [SOLD]

The northern Tiwa speaking New Mexico Pueblos of Taos and Picuris have clay in the area that is rich in mica, so rich, in fact, that they do not need to add temper to the clay. These two pueblos have produced micaceous pottery since the mid-16th century, but never in a large quantity. Taos and Picuris pottery quite often has handles attached, rather rare for pueblo pottery. Decorations on this northern pueblo pottery are also rather rare as fire clouds generally constitute the sole decorative motif.

This large bean pot has two handles and is punch-decorated with small diamonds arranged in a cruciform shape encircling the vessel. The pot is in excellent condition and does not appear to have been used for cooking beans as of yet.

Provenance: From the estate of Transcendental artist Florence Pierce of Albuquerque who passed away in 2007 at the age of 89. She was best known for luminescent paintings made of pigmented resins on reflective surfaces. Her interest in abstraction began in the 1930s when she was an associate of the Transcendental Painting Group. The New York Times called her “the doyenne of abstract art in the Southwest” following her art exhibit in New York City in 2006.