Historic Tall-Necked Jar by Nampeyo of Hano [SOLD]

This beautiful pottery vase was made by Nampeyo of Hano, a Hopi-Tewa potter who is generally regarded as one of the most historically significant Native American artists. We believe that this vase was made earlier in the artist's storied career.

With this piece, Nampeyo offered an unusual form—a vase with a wide base, a sharp shoulder, and a tall neck. There is a slight lean to one side, but is not bothersome in any way. Rather, it suits the somewhat primitive look of the vessel. A single design band appears, reaching from below the rim to just above the shoulder. Within the band, traditional elements appear alongside designs of the artist's own creation, creating a lively and appealing composition. Groups of five framing lines appear at the shoulder and below the rim. This is a beautiful and unusual example of Nampeyo's work.

Nampeyo of Hano (1857-1942) was a widely influential potter who lived and worked on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona. Nampeyo is regarded today as one of the finest Hopi potters and one of the most important figures in Native American pottery. Her work is displayed in museums and collections around the world. Little, if any, of her pottery is signed, but her work has been published and documented in detail and is easily identifiable to collectors. Nampeyo was taught how to make pottery by her grandmother and began earning an income as a potter while she was still just a teenager. Less interested in innovation than perfection, Nampeyo took an early interest in the design and form of ancient Hopi pottery, which she believed to be superior to the pottery being created by her contemporaries. She visited the ruins of ancient villages and copied designs from pieces of prehistoric and protohistoric pottery onto paper, then reproduced the designs on her own vessels.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Historic Tall-Necked Jar by Nampeyo of Hano is from the collection of a client of the gallery

Recommended Reading: NAMPEYO AND HER POTTERY by Barbara Kramer, University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Fannie Polacca Nampeyo, Nellie Nampeyo Douma, Annie Healing Nampeyo, Nampeyo of Hano, Hopi-Tewa Potter and Matriarch