On View In:
Gallery 259
Artist:   Albert Peyneslea (?)  
Title:   Vessel  
Date:   20th century  
Medium:   Ceramic, pigment  
Dimensions:   5 9/16 x 6 15/16 x 6 15/16 in. (14.13 x 17.62 x 17.62 cm)  
Credit Line:   Anonymous Gift  
Location:   Gallery 259  

In the early 1800s, the A'shiwi (Zuni) began to paint life forms on their pottery, such as highly abstracted birds. Several decades later, more naturalistic renderings became common. A typical late 19th century A'shiwi olla would often be enclosed by a series of two or three horizontal bands of differing widths and would be interrupted by a rosette and also sometimes a deer. As in this example, the deer have a red "heart line," which runs down from the mouth and ends in an arrow shape at the heart. Based on a traditional A'shiwi story, the line may represent the animal's sacred breath of life.

Artist/Creator(s)     
Name:   Peyneslea, Albert  
Culture:   Zuni  
 

Object Description  
  
Inscriptions:   Signature and Inscription see Signed on bottom, in brown: [A. PEY. ZUNI N.M.]  
Classification:   Ceramics  
Physical Description:   very small foot flaring to narrow, steep shoulder; wide mouth; cream body decorated with red and brown; 2 organic medallions alternate with pairs of deer and geometric patterns; geometric band on shoulder  
Creation Place:   North America, United States, Southwest region, New Mexico, Zuni Pueblo  
Accession #:   2004.35.23  
Owner:   The Minneapolis Institute of Arts