Historic Zia Polychrome OLLA with Orange Slip [SOLD]

This polychrome OLLA, or water jar, was made by a Zia Pueblo artist. It most likely dates to the 1920s. It displays a pattern of wear from use, most noticeably around the base but also up and over the shoulder on one side. Various materials have accumulated on the interior and exterior over the years, adding a dark and smoky patina. The red band at the top of the base confirms the pre-1930s date of creation.

The unknown potter who made this piece succeeded with the vessel form and the painted designs. The vessel's shape is fairly typical of Zia, but it's a particularly well-executed example. At nine inches in diameter, it is a bit smaller than the typical functional OLLA, and its modest scale works beautifully.

The delightful primary design element uses step patterns in black to frame a red interior form, with curved triangular elements appearing in the center and capping the exterior edges. Additional curved triangular forms hang from the top and rise from the bottom; cloud and rain elements appear at the triangles' tips. The designs appear over an orange slip, creating a warm palette that is muted and softened by the smoky patina.

"Starting in the early 1920s, Zia potters began experimenting with a new overall slip color for their pottery. The surface is usually a strong orange-tan, on which designs in black and red are applied in patterns characteristic of the time, some incorporating traditional elements, some with distinctive new features. The absence of specimens from collections gathered as late as 1910 and 1911 for the AMNH (American Museum of Natural History) suggests that allover orange slip was not present at that time. With many of the examples having the traditional red banding at the top of the underbody (a feature that was essentially abandoned by 1930), we believe that the main period for the orange-tan slip is in the 1920s, although some examples are clearly later. [Harlow & Lanmon, 2003:174]

Condition: very good condition, wear from use but no cracks, chips, restoration, or repair

Provenance: this Historic Zia Polychrome OLLA with Orange Slip is from a private collection

Reference and Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Zia Pueblo by Harlow and Lanmon, School of American Research Press, Santa Fe

TAGS: Zia Pueblo, historic pottery, contemporary pottery