Santo Domingo Pueblo Historic Polychrome Pottery Jar with Exquisite Birds [SOLD]

This historic pottery jar stands alone among Santo Domingo jars of the late nineteenth century in that it does not comply with the strictly adhered to design patterns of groupings of black triangles or similar geometric elements. The potter first achieved a dramatic shift in vessel construction by increasing the size of the jar, then placing the widest section at mid-body, and elongating the neck into a graceful curve. She furthermore left the cream-slipped body as a solid canvas for her design, a design that comprises two bold elements-a bird with an elaborate tail, and a powerfully strong element incorporating clouds and rain, and a cross-hatched huge raindrop. Each of these is presented twice around the body of the vessel.

The bird has a fat body, long legs, and a small head devoid of feather embellishments. The elaborate tail is the eye-catching design feature of the bird. The other design feature is equally amazing for a Santo Domingo potter to display as it is reminiscent of Cochiti designs. The lower part has three clouds spreading out fan-like. Near the top is a pair of clouds stretching out like arms, the ends of which display rain in heavy black lines, which also resemble the tail feathers of the bird, a nice effect at tying the two designs together.

This vessel exhibits the classic traits of late nineteenth century Santo Domingo Polychrome. The neck interior is red slipped, with a black rim top. The under body is stone-polished bare paste with a one-and-a-half-inch rag-wiped red band. The cream/off-white is rag-wiped bentonite slip with black vegetal pigment designs. There is not a ceremonial break in the black rim band, nor is there a framing line below the rim. Rather there is a pair of framing lines under the decorated area and both lines have a ceremonial break.

Condition: Structurally the jar is in excellent condition. There is a rim chip but no other damage. The jar sits at a slight tilt but that is the way it was made.

Provenance: this Santo Domingo Pueblo Historic Polychrome Pottery Jar with Exquisite Birds was purchased by Adobe Gallery in 1998 from The Elkhart Collection. It has been in the gallery collection since that time.

Recommended Reading: THE POTTERY OF SANTO DOMINGO PUEBLO: A Detailed Study of its Decoration by Kenneth Chapman

Relative Links: Southwest Indian Pottery, Historic Pottery, Kewa Pueblo – Santo Domingo Pueblo