Tesuque Pueblo 19th Century Micaceous Figurine [SOLD]

“The earliest known micaceous-slipped ‘idol’ made at Tesuque Pueblo was collected by members of the Hayden Survey prior to 1879.”   Anderson, p48.  This micaceous figurine must date to the same time period. It is quite similar in design to those purchased in 1881 from Aaron Gold’s shop in Santa Fe.  Smaller figurines such as this one were made in the 1870s.

Interestingly, this figurine has one eye, located on its right side, and no eye visible on the left. He has a beard on his chin, a pair of spikes at ear sites and a spike of hair on top of his head.  His legs are curved in to where his feet touch and his hands are resting on his hips.  It is conceivable that earlier figurines with spiked hair were images of pueblo clowns—as clowns of several types tie their hair up in spikes.

Earlier figurines of this style were apparently precursors to the later standardized “rain god” figurines.  These earlier ones are referred in the literature as “clay idols.”  They were given names by the dealers and traders depending on the posture of the figurine.  There were gods of pain, gods of love, gods of hunger, gods of sickness, gods of choking, etc.  Perhaps this one would be god of sight.

There is a label on the back of the figurine which reads From E. Schuster’s Curiosity Shop, Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Condition:  The hair spike and left ear are chipped.  The head and both legs have been broken off and glued back in place.

Provenance: originally from the collection of Dana Lipsig whose collection of 105 rain gods was exhibited and sold at Adobe Gallery in 2005.  This one is being offered again from a collector in California who purchased it at the opening of the exhibit in 2005.

Reference and Recommended Reading: When Rain Gods Reigned: From Curios to Art at Tesuque Pueblo, by Duane Anderson