This vessel dates to the turn of the century and is typically Cochiti in all technical aspects: crystalline-rock temper in the paste, stone-polished, bare-paste underbody with red banding, black rim top, rag-wiped bentonite slip and black vegetal paints. Even without the specifics of construction and materials, this vessel is positively identifiable as the Cochiti variety of Kiua polychrome.

The sheer mass of the bowl suggests the subtle geometries of the Cochiti dough bowl. The black vegetal design motifs, painted in the inimitable Cochiti style: loose, gestural, almost to the edge of haphazardness, illustrate the always organic and free application.

The interior design of the bowl features rain descending from the clouds pendant from the framing lines at the rim interior. The elements floating on the interior bottom are typical Cochiti rain cloud and lightning designs and vegetal elements with seedpods—all of which are rain symbols—typical of Cochiti decorations.

The exterior decoration is similar in character but different in execution. There are clouds pendant from the rim, and various cloud and lightning and plant elements floating around the circumference. Two framing lines below the decorated section have the ceremonial breaks, as do the upper framing lines at the rim.

This is a truly fine piece, full of Cochiti whimsy and charm. The bowl contains a fine, semi-gloss patinated surface with areas of subtle fire clouding; some rubbing and attendant paint loss, and fine crazing in the slip.

Provenance: This Cochiti Pueblo Dough Bowl with Ceremonial Designs View Item Detail was shown in the exhibit BOWLS: A Pueblo Necessity December 15, 2006 until December 31, 2006 presented at adobe gallery Santa fe.

BOWLS: A Pueblo Necessity
(click here to view details of this past exhibit)

Adobe Gallery Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading: A River Apart: The Pottery of Cochiti & Santo Domingo Pueblos (click here to view details of book) by Valerie Verzuh, et al. (Available from Adobe Gallery)