Description: This vintage 10” hand-made olla is signed on the bottom – please see photo of the signature. The vessel is smooth overall, with no incising. It is in excellent condition, with no chips nor cracks, and only a few tiny age and handling marks too small to photograph. It sits well and evenly. The inside shows the hand and finger work of the maker. This is a vintage pot, made before computer-assisted design or execution. This pot was made as a decorative object and should not be used with liquids. The painting is to wonder at. If you do a close-up of the hand painting on this pot and compare it closely to any other pot, you will see that every stroke on this pot appears intentional and as near to perfection as the human hand can produce. No stencil nor sponge work have been used. The amount of precise geometric detail on this pot is mesmerizing. The artist has created an amazing piece that recalls designs and Mimbres animal figures from ancient times. I have looked at a lot of pots called Mata Ortiz, and I have not seen anything that can compare to the quality and uniqueness of the painting on this vintage pot. I stared at this olla in wonder for ages when I first purchased it – and I still find it mesmerizing. I can’t fathom the time, patience and skill that was necessary to obtain such a tour de force of ceramics and ceramic painting. The vessel was hand made from red clay coil work, and you can see and feel the finger-work of the maker on the inside. The exterior has been hand-burnished smooth and then finely hand painted. The pot weighs just over 5 lbs. I have discovered that the figures, such as the turtles and fish on this olla, are known as Mimbres figures, and that the very first decorations on Mimbres pottery—simple geometric shapes in red on brown clay—appeared around A.D. 600. Though evidence is scant, the bulk of the Mimbres people appear to have settled in the Casas Grandes region, forming the base population for Paquimé, located in what is today northwestern Chihuahua, Mexico. Paquimé was the last major city in the Southwest prior to European contact in the fifteenth century. I think the signature reads Eleida, or something like that (see photo), with the word tera below it, however I cannot be certain. The signature is hard to decipher. II would REALLY appreciate any additional information anyone out there may have about my pot -- especially if they know the artist! Please note that I took flash photos, so there is some reflection off the pot. I pack well and ship quickly. Please see my feedback and buy or bid with confidence. Thank you for looking!
Price: 185 USD
Location: Ladysmith, Virginia
End Time: 2024-07-21T17:13:13.000Z
Shipping Cost: N/A USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Brand: MATA ORTIZ
Provenance: Ownership History Not Available
Country/Region of Manufacture: Mexico
Handmade: Yes
Culture: Mexican
