Very Large Seed Jar with Corn Relief Design [SOLD]

Iris Youvella Nampeyo (1944 –) is known for her sculptural design pottery that she has mastered to the finest detail.  This style of sculpture was first made by Elizabeth White (Polingaysi) and further refined by her nephew Al Colton (Qöyawayma).  Colton has evolved from the simple corn design to carving cliff dwellings on his pottery. 

Iris has mostly stayed with designing simple corn stalks or ears of corn.  It is the simplicity of her work that makes it so elegant.  She does not apply a slip to the surface but simply polishes the natural clay from which the jar was made.  The corn plant is generally left in a matte state as in this seed jar.  The jar is signed Iris Nampeyo and numbered 1612-669.

Condition:  good condition with minor rubbing

Recommended Reading: Hopi-Tewa Pottery 500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

Provenance: acquired from a family from New Mexico

Photo of Iris Youvella Nampeyo Photo courtesy of Rick Dillingham - book: Fourteen Families In Pueblo Pottery