Nampeyo Hopi-Tewa Cylindrical Vessel with Human Face [SOLD]

This unique pottery vessel was made by the influential Hopi-Tewa matriarch Nampeyo of Hano. It's a cylindrical piece with a flat base and an oval-shaped hole in the back. Nampeyo used pigments, raised coils of clay and three smaller holes to form a human face on the front. Ears protrude from the sides, and additional painted designs adorn the forehead.

Nampeyo's work with this cylindrical vessel is strong. The designs are appealing and well executed. The vessel itself was made with skill and care. The warm orange slip is absolutely gorgeous, with certain areas fading into lighter cream tones, which adds depth and variation. The interior is white, and a brown line highlights 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 the history of Native American pottery. Her work is displayed in major museum collections around the world. 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: very good condition

Provenance: this Nampeyo Hopi-Tewa Cylindrical Vessel with Human Face is from a private collection

Recommended Reading:

- THE CALL OF BEAUTY Masterworks by Nampeyo of Hopi by Edwin L. Wade and Allan Cooke

- Canvas of Clay: Seven Centuries of Hopi Ceramic Art by Edwin L. Wade and Allan Cooke

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