Jar, ca. 1820–1840. Unknown artist (Native American, Santa Ana, New Mexico). Santa Ana Polychrome. Clay and pigment. Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust.
Many scholars regard this beautiful jar as the finest of all existing Santa Ana ceramic works. The overall composition, a powerfully conceived construct of bold singular shapes, complex configurations and delicately painted details reflects the work of a true master. The painted design shares elements found on many Pueblo jars of the early 1800s. Most dominant are the stepped figures, which join with interlocking hatched and solid motifs containing smaller unpainted elements. Large diamonds, repeated arcs, triangles, a number of rectangular eyes and spiral forms that may represent feathers complete the pattern. This imagery, while highly abstract, is known to be emblematic of ritual symbolism and religious belief. The jar’s deep color is enhanced by the lustrous patina of great age and long use.
