MATA ORTIZ BURNISHED POTTERY GRAPHITE OLLA E (?) LOPEZ CHIHUAHUA MEXICO 20TH C. For Sale -

GJPaw salesis pleased to offer a stunning \'Mata Ortiz\' black graphite pottery Olla or Vessel with stand, by E (?) Lopez. In the northern region of Chihuahua, Mexico is a small village called Mata Ortiz. It has a population of just over a thousand people and the predominating profession here is being a potter. However, forty years ago no one in Mata Ortiz knew the first thing about pottery – no one except Juan Quezada. As a young boy working for the railroad, Quezada spent a lot of time in the mountains collecting firewood and maguey cactus. These excursions took him close to the archaeological site of Paquime, or Casas Grande, the remains of an advanced pre-Hispanic settlement that once flourished between the 12th to 15th centuries. The indigenous people who once lived there were renowned for their pottery making skills; however, since their decline the art form was lost. Quezada became intrigued by the shards or fragments of the ancient Paquime pots he found in the mountains – so intrigued he took up potting and attempted to recreate their style. After many failures and hard won successes, Quezada finally brought the Paquime art back to life. Not only that, once he achieved the basic form Quezada added some original touches of his own, spinning contemporary elements into the ancient style. Eventually, Quezada began teaching his newfound pottery skill to friends, family and anyone else who wished to learn, spreading the craft across the village of Mata Ortiz; and ultimately, his works along with those of other potters would gain extreme notoriety, especially across the border in the southwestern region of the United States. There are no restraints in the Mata Ortiz School. Male or female, young or old, each and every potter engages their personal creativity in their own way. Therefore, despite being rooted in an ancient tradition, Mata Ortiz pottery is an art form that is very much contemporary. No two pots are exactly alike. They vary greatly in both style and shape, in the types of clays each potter uses and in the finished glazes. This superb black graphite example with stand is by E (?) Lopez, and is signed and dated 1999 on the bottom. The flamboyant signature is difficult to read in its entirety. The vessel measures 7 inches in diameter by 12.2 inches in height (17.7 cm by 30.9 cm). The vessel is invery good condition, including tiny scratches and patina imperfections. It would make a superbaddition to any collection of Mata Ortiz pottery.

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