Melon Jar
Artist
Helen Baca Shupla
(North American Indian, Santa Clara, New Mexico, 1928 - 1985)
CultureSanta Clara, New Mexico
Date1984
MediumClay
DimensionsOverall: 9 × 11 1/4 inches (22.86 × 28.58 cm)
Credit LineGift of John A. Morgan
Object number2002.21.9
SignedIncised, bottom of pot: Helen Shupla Santa Clara Pueblo 6/27/84
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 207
Collections
DescriptionHand-built ceramic jar in the shape of a ribbed melon; deep red color with polished surface.Gallery LabelThis superb jar represents the highest achievement of master potter Helen Baca Shupla. She is famous for her elegantly shaped, finely polished melon jars, a ribbed form that is difficult to achieve. Unlike the nearly mechanical perfection that characterizes much contemporary Pueblo pottery, Shupla's jars retain the organic quality and sculptural power of earlier modeled forms. Marks of stone polishing are visible on the surface of this work, adding depth and richness to its remarkable color.
Torrence, Gaylord, ed. Continuum: North American Native Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Kansas City: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
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