Nampeyo of Hano Polychrome Pottery Canteen with Handle [SOLD]

This polychrome pottery canteen was made by Nampeyo of Hano, the Hopi-Tewa potter and matriarch who is widely regarded as one of the most influential Native artists. This piece was made in collaboration with her daughter Fannie Polacca Nampeyo. This unusual piece varies from the typical pueblo pottery canteen shape—it's tall and slim rather than round and bulbous, and it has a flat base that allows it to stand upright. A handle appears on one side, curving from the shoulder to the neck's base. This is a unique and appealing form that we have never seen before.

A pair of identical circular compositions appears, with one instance on each of the canteen's round, flat faces. Within these circles, clusters of traditional Hopi designs with rotational symmetry appear in black and dark red. Additional design motifs appear on the handle and neck, referencing clouds and rain. These outstanding painted designs were likely executed by Fannie, working in the style of her mother.

The bottom of the canteen is signed Nampeyuo. Fannie Nampeyo signed pieces like this to command higher prices.

Nampeyo of Hano (1857-1942) was a widely influential potter who lived and worked on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona. Nampeyo is regarded today as one of the finest Hopi potters and one of the most important figures in Native American pottery. Her work is displayed in museums and collections around the world. Nampeyo was taught how to make pottery by her grandmother and began earning an income as a potter while she was still just a teenager. Less interested in innovation than perfection, Nampeyo took an early interest in the design and form of ancient Hopi pottery, which she believed to be superior to the pottery being created by her contemporaries. She visited the ruins of ancient villages and copied designs from pieces of prehistoric and protohistoric pottery onto paper, then reproduced the designs on her own vessels.

Condition: this Nampeyo of Hano Polychrome Pottery Canteen with Handle is in good condition, some abrasion and one rim chip

Provenance: from the collection of Dr. Edwin L. Wade, co-author of Canvas of Clay: Seven Centuries of Hopi Ceramic Art

Recommended Reading: Canvas of Clay: Seven Centuries of Hopi Ceramic Art by Edwin L. Wade and Allan Cooke

TAGS: Hopi Pueblo, Fannie Polacca Nampeyo, Nellie Nampeyo Douma, Annie Healing Nampeyo, Nampeyo of Hano, Hopi-Tewa Potter and Matriarch