Powhoge Polychrome Storage Jar, circa 1790-1830 [SOLD]

Special Offer: The estate of the former owner of this jar has agreed to reduce the price from the original price of $77,500 to a new price of $45,000.

The pottery classification Powhoge Polychrome was named after the Tewa name for San Ildefonso Pueblo. It had its introduction around 1750. The most significant change at that time from the previous pottery styles was a change in form, one that was dictated by utilitarian use rather than form based on aesthetics. After 1750, jar forms were simple, with a globular body and a neck. A second characteristic was in design. Traditional designs were abandoned in favor of new ideas, which were coarse and less formal.

It is generally accepted that the trend to utilitarian shapes removed all beauty of form from most vessels, especially Tewa painted vessels, during this period, leaving jars with no sculpture except as required for everyday use.

The previous jars generally provided zones for decorating. Usually there was a neck, shoulder, and body for zones of design. With the new globular shape, the whole jar was now one design area, providing less area for creativity and more space for a simple bold design element. The flowery and feathery patterns of old were now being replaced with bold, very black areas of geometric design. Gone also was the use of red in the design. The red was restricted to the rim and a band below the design area.

This wonderful Powhoge Polychrome storage jar dates from the period 1790 to 1830 and originated from San Ildefonso Pueblo. The design has strong influences from Cochiti Pueblo, which might suggest that this vessel is from a period prior to 1830. During this time, Cochiti’s influence at San Ildefonso was quite apparent in many areas, especially agriculture, tools and pottery designs.

The designs on this jar exhibit definite influence from Cochiti Pueblo. The floating medallion elements and the spiral-like designs are highly influenced from Cochiti. The neck band, however, is very typical of San Ildefonso Powhoge pottery of this time. Just below the center, concentric double black lines divide the cream slip from the bottom red paste, which has a one-inch secondary band of polished red. The fire clouds are an exquisite blue-black coloration and appear in five main spots around the bottom, which has been stabilized.