Acoma Pueblo Black-on-white Maze Design Pottery Jar [SOLD]

The "Maze" Seed Jar: A Masterpiece of Acoma Precision

This exceptional Acoma Pueblo seed jar is a tour de force of geometric complexity and technical discipline. Signed simply G. Leno, the vessel represents the pinnacle of the "fine-line" tradition for which Acoma Pueblo is world-renowned.  Acoma Pueblo artist Gail Leno was an exceptionally gifted potter whose brief but brilliant career left a lasting mark on Southwestern art. Known for her meticulous technical mastery, Leno's work was defined by incredible precision and a refined talent for fine painting.

The design on this jar is an intricate labyrinth, mathematically divided into three descending horizontal bands. The largest maze panels dominate the shoulder, followed by a middle tier, and finally a smaller row toward the base. Each of the three rows contains eight individual maze panels. Every panel begins at a singular triangular point, expanding outward in a series of perfectly parallel lines. The sheer repetition of these 24 individual mazes creates a shimmering optical effect — a visual vibration that is a hallmark of the finest Acoma painting.

To appreciate this jar, one must understand the physical demands of its creation. There are no stencils or rulers in traditional Pueblo pottery. Each of these razor-thin black lines was applied freehand, likely using a traditional yucca-fiber brush chewed at the end to create a single-tapered point.

As a seed jar — a form traditionally used to store seeds for the next planting season — the vessel's shape is near perfection. Achieving this level of symmetry in a rounded, enclosed form requires decades of experience in coil-building. The application of 24 separate, expanding mazes requires an almost meditative level of patience. One single slip of the brush would be impossible to erase from the porous clay.

While the artist signed the piece G. Leno, her full identity remains an intriguing mystery for collectors and historians.

The quality of this potter is confirmed by the presence of her work in world-class institutions, including the Peabody Museum at Harvard University and The Heard Museum in Phoenix. Approximately 15 years ago, she was featured in an article titled "Makers and Markets," though, unfortunately, she was not identified by her first name or specific family branch.

The surname Leno is synonymous with excellence at Acoma. It is highly probable that she was related to Juana Leno (1917-2000), one of the most significant Acoma potters of the 20th century. While the exact genealogical link remains to be documented, the stylistic similarities in linework and vessel form suggest a shared family tradition of the highest order.

As a gallery that specializes in historic pottery, we are accustomed to handling magnificent works by "anonymous" masters. However, there is something uniquely haunting about a piece like this — one where the artist did sign her name, yet her personal story remains just out of reach.

It is a poignant reminder of the tension in Native American art history: the transition from the communal anonymity of the past to the individual recognition of the modern era. We know her hand, we know her name, and we know her brilliance — we simply await the day her full story catches up to her art.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Acoma Pueblo Black-on-white Maze Design Pottery Jar is from the collection of a Santa Fe resident

Recommended Reading: Acoma & Laguna Pottery by Rick Dillingham

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Acoma Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo, Ka'waika