Miniature Jar with Black-on-Black Burnished Geometric Patterns

This miniature jar was probably made by a potter of the Pueblo of Santa Clara tribe of New Mexico. While the signature on the bottom of the vessel is illegible, many families from Santa Clara make miniature vessels such as this one. They are often sold to tourists, but also are a way to show the skill of the potter who is able to burnish such small and precise areas of the vessel, creating a shiny area on the surface that contrasts with the matte finish of the rest of the surface. As both areas are darkened because of reduction firing, the style is known as "black-on-black."

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Dr. and Mrs. Edward J. Hoffman, Baltimore, MD; given to Walters Art Museum, 1984.