Laguna Pueblo Black-on-cream jar with Zuni Influence

A Detailed Examination of a Historic Laguna Pueblo Pottery Jar from the Early 20th Century

This is a historic pottery jar, a typical example of early 20th-century craftsmanship, originating from a potter at Laguna Pueblo. It was gifted to a visiting resident of the pueblo in the 1920s.

The jar features two large designs, each applied twice on opposing sides:

The first design begins with a rectangular box filled with dark brown triangles positioned up and down. These triangles are connected by a line running from the upper to the lower triangles. Attached to the rectangle's side walls are fan-like protrusions, resembling clouds, constructed with dark brown and fine lines. The second design is presented in a  lighter fashion, consisting of dark brown triangles stacked vertically. Adjacent to these triangles are matching designs of spirals enclosing parallel fine lines. Double framing lines enclose the design on the upper and lower boundaries.

The lower section of the jar and the interior below the rim adhere to the traditional style of the pueblo. The jar also features a concave underbody.

The jar was a gift to Mr. Otto Plaug (1898-2000), a German-born artist renowned for his paintings of the American West and Southwest. He received this gift during his residence at Laguna Pueblo in the 1920s. Later, Plaug moved to New York and served as an instructor at Skidmore College for many years.

The settlement in Laguna began the acculturation process in the late seventeenth century with the arrival of many refugees from other pueblos. This process continued into the late 1800s as large numbers of outsiders arrived. The Lagunas were very open to these settlers, transforming the pueblo into a unique mixture of Indians, Hispanics, and Anglos-—sort of southwestern melting pot [Dillingham, 1992:150].

Condition: very good condition with minor surface abrasions

Provenance: this Laguna Pueblo Black-on-cream jar with Zuni Influence is from the estate of Otto Plaug through a client of Adobe Gallery

Reference and Recommended Reading: Acoma & Laguna Pottery by Rick Dillingham

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Acoma Pueblo, Historic Pottery, Laguna Pueblo, Ka'waika, Zuni Pueblo, SHE-WE-NA