Santa Clara Large Black Carved Jar [SOLD]

Margaret Tafoya has long been recognized as the premier potter at Santa Clara Pueblo during the 20^th century and she deservedly receives that honor.  She was a master potter, following in the footsteps of her famous mother, Sara Fina, who too was a master potter. 

In the mid-twentieth century, Margaret produced many very large pottery vessels and then in the 1960s-1970s, she produced many smaller but still large vessels such as this jar.  Not only was she capable of creating a beautiful vessel shape she obtained a smooth finish and high burnish and then proceeded to execute a precise carved design.

The design is repeated four times in a continuous ring and it appears to be a stylized Avanyu head.  The small triangle is the eye of the Avanyu and the larger triangle with the stepped leg is the head.  

The jar gracefully rises from the base to the mid body above which is the design band.  The neck is a concave curve ending in a beautiful rolled out rim.  Inside the neck is polished down about an inch.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: from the family collection of a Santa Fe resident

Recommended Reading:  Born of Fire: The Pottery of Margaret Tafoya by Charles King