Native American, Southwestern United States, Zuni (A:shiwi), ca. late 19th to early 20th century CE. A stunning and quite sizable pottery water jar or olla, skillfully hand-painted with 2 rows of the heartline deer-in-its house motif and a traditional geometric neck band, all in hues of russet and black on a creamy beige ground. Each deer is standing in profile, displaying a prominent channel leading from its mouth to its heart - hence the name "heartline" - and enclosed in a feathered roof. The neck of the jar is decorated by 2 motifs that must always be used together: the diamond is said to bring good luck in childhood, while the feather, whose key ingredients are the curving triangular shape called the thunder-knife, is used in ceremonies by priests. A gorgeous example of Zuni pottery, intricately painted in rich iconographical tradition! Size: 13" Diameter x 11" H (33 cm x 27.9 cm)

An innovation of the mid-19th century, the heartline deer motif is specific to the Zuni and prominent throughout their pottery decoration. Many believe this line was intended to represent the breath of life. However, John G. Bourke instead believed the animal to be an antelope, and explained in 1881, "The line running down from the animal?s mouth and terminating at its heart may be described as a 'prayer.' It is a pictographic invocation to the 'spirit of the antelope' to incline the hearts of the antelope on earth to put themselves in the way of the Zunis that they may kill them for food. I made careful inquiries upon this point and know that I have obtained the correct explanation."

Similar water jars can be found at the Denver Art Museum (1933.187), the British Museum (Am1938,1017.16 and Am1888,0517.7), the Cincinnati Art Museum (1885.48), the National Museum of Scotland (A.1903.76), Museum of Fine Arts Houston (44.161, 44.165, 44.96, and 46.26), the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg (1968.32), and the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia (10741).

Another Zuni polychrome olla with the deer-in-its-house motif of comparable size hammered $9,600 at Christie's New York on January 12th, 2006 (Live Auction 1616, lot 360).

Please note this item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and may not be eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

Provenance: private Houston, Texas, USA collection; ex-private Houston, Texas, USA, collection, acquired before 2000

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#181457

Some nicks and abrasions to surface with small chips near rim. Otherwise, intact and excellent with good remains of pigments and detail.