Acoma Pueblo Historic Pottery Small Fine Line Design OLLA [SOLD]

This small historic Acoma Pueblo fine line pottery OLLA is a perfect miniature of a traditional Acoma water jar shape and design.  Application of the fine black lines in expanding form is the most difficult design to apply as it is painted with a pigment made from a vegetal source and painted on with the fibers of a yucca brush.  There cannot be a more difficult combination of events in pottery painting. The jar is signed with the name of the pueblo only, an indication of a pre-World War II-era creation.

When a potter prepares a paint brush from the leaf of a yucca plant, it requires removing all the exterior green meat of the leaf and leaving only the fibers.  The number of fibers used for the brush is determined by the style of painting to be done with it. The fibers are left in a length of several inches— maybe three to six.  

To accomplish such short lines as are part of the design is very difficult to achieve, particularly when encountering corners.  It must take a person of extreme talent and patience to paint such a design. One must admire the artist who was so talented and patient.  Unfortunately, she did not sign her name so we may never know who she was but that does not diminish our appreciation of her.

Condition: this Acoma Pueblo Historic Pottery Small Fine Line Design OLLA is in very good condition

Provenance: from an extensive collection from a client in Colorado

Recommended Reading: The Pottery of Acoma & Laguna Pueblos by Rick Dillingham