Acoma Fine Line Design Jar by Lucy Lewis [SOLD]

This jar was made by Lucy Lewis, one of the most influential Acoma Pueblo potters. Lewis passed away in 1992, in her nineties, after a long and productive career making beautiful pueblo pottery. This particular piece is completed in one of Lewis' preferred styles: black-on-white, with an intricate fine-line design. Some will see stars and flowers within this complex web of thin black lines; others will enjoy getting lost in the patterns without searching for details.

The designs suit the vessel quite nicely, which is a common trait for a Lewis jar. Interestingly, the exterior has a somewhat rough feel to it, which is tangible but not visible. This suggests to us that this is an older piece. Whatever the case may be, it is an appealing pot and a fine example of one of Lewis' signature styles.

The bottom of the jar is signed Lucy M. Lewis, Acoma NM.

Lucy Lewis (1898-1992) was one of the most widely respected potters from Acoma Pueblo. Lewis followed pueblo tradition in every step of pottery production—offering prayers of thanks to Mother Earth for the clay, taking only as much clay as she needed, working the clay with only her hands, forming the vessel from coils of clay, scraping the walls with tools fashioned from gourds, painting the vessel with slips and paints made from clay and vegetal sources and, finally, firing the finished pieces in a handmade outdoor kiln. Lewis was born around 1898 and passed away on March 12, 1992. She spent nearly all her life atop the high mesa of Acoma Pueblo, making pottery since the age of 8. She is largely responsible for the revival of Mimbres Black-on-white pottery designs, which are more than 1,000 years old. She was famous, as well, for her exquisite polychrome designs and her fine-line and lightning designs.

Condition: very good condition, some light wear from handling but no chips, cracks, or major abrasions

Provenance: this Acoma Fine Line Design Jar by Lucy Lewis is from a private collection from the Midwest States

Recommended Reading: LUCY M. LEWIS American Indian Potter by Susan Peterson

TAGS: Acoma Pueblo, Pueblo Pottery, Lucy Martin Lewis