Kewa Pueblo Serving Bowl with Pictorial Elements [SOLD]

There often is confusion when attempting to distinguish pottery from Cochiti and Kewa Pueblos.  This bowl is an excellent example of such.  The exterior of the bowl features the strong ovoid design used on many Kewa bowls but the interior features elements that supposedly never appear on Kewa pottery-that is, specifically, cloud elements, yet the other designs on the interior certainly could be of Kewa origin.  We are making the decision to attribute this bowl to Kewa Pueblo, ignoring the rain clouds.

The wall thickness of the bowl is much more that of one from Kewa than Cochiti and the birds are very typical of Kewa birds.  The strong rectangular design at the base of the interior that encloses a pair of circles is more typical of Kewa than Cochiti, so maybe the statement that no potter from Kewa would portray clouds on a secular vessel is not correct.

It is an extraordinarily beautiful bowl with designs not often witnessed, such as the cloud elements with bird heads anchored on the ends and the birds sitting atop of the goal posts. 

Condition: structurally in original condition, with one very minor rim chip

Provenance: from a ranching family in Arizona

Recommended Reading:  A River Apart: The Pottery of Cochiti & Santo Domingo Pueblos