Red Sgraffito Seed Pot with Stylized Avanyu [SOLD]

Haungooah means “sunlight reflecting off a buffalo horn” in the Kiowa language.  Art Cody was the grandson of famous Kiowa ledger artist Silver Horn, who was known as Haungooah. Following in his grandfather’s footsteps, the younger Haungooah became an innovative artist. In the late 1960s, Cody was among the first artists to use the sgraffito technique on pueblo pottery. He married a talented Santa Clara potter, Martha Suazo, who encouraged him to decorate her pieces. Together they won numerous prizes during the 1970s. They signed their work “Haungooah” in honor of Art’s grandfather. When Martha passed away sometime after 1979, he continued to create and decorate his own work, until his untimely death only a few years later in 1985.

This finely polished red seed jar features stylized Avanyu on the neck. The designs have been carefully etched into the piece using the sgraffito style. Sgraffito is the Italian word for “to scratch” and is a technique that has been used since classical times in Europe. The couple was among a group of innovative young Native American artists who began using the method to create designs in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Haungooah’s fine pottery came to the attention of Pierre Cardin, who sponsored a European tour which showcased the couple’s work.

This piece is signed Haungooah and dated 3-2-74 on the bottom.

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading: Pueblo Indian Pottery 750 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

Provenance: from a family from Santa Fe which is beginning to downsize its very large collection of pottery and paintings by New Mexico Native artists.