Historic Santo Domingo Pueblo Small Pottery Jar with Birds and Flowers [SOLD]

This absolutely exquisite historic Santo Domingo Pueblo small pottery jar starts impressing one with its shape then adds an amazing bird design to the mix.  The vessel shape is bulbous in the lower half, then curves inward sharply at the shoulder and reverses direction to flare out to a curving neck and rim.  It is such a beautiful and delicate shape.  

The design features two magnificent quail executed in strong black pigment.  A pair of wings was executed in deep red slip, outlined in black. Separating the two quail is a flower with dark black leaves, resembling clouds, and a single stem topped with a deep red flower, each petal outlined in black.

To make the design more prominent, the potter used the neck of the vessel as an additional canvas on which to paint the images.  Had she not done so, the flowers and birds would be confined to smaller areas on the body. They command more attention of the viewer in their expanded size.

This is a powerful small jar with strong visual appeal both for the vessel shape and the designs.

Condition: this Historic Santo Domingo Pueblo Small Pottery Jar with Birds and Flowers is in very good condition

Provenance: from the collection of a gentleman from Colorado

Recommended Reading: A RIVER APART, The Pottery of Cochiti & Santo Domingo Pueblos by Valerie Verzuh, et al.

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