Description

This beautiful piece features a traditional shape jar with a flat opening. The carved area has a water serpent, or Avanyu swirling around the entire jar from top to bottom. The Avanyu is a symbol of thanksgiving for water and rain. This intricately carved serpent has a beautiful inlaid cabochon of turquoise that serves as the serpent’s eye. The turquoise is a little over ½” in circumference. The Avanyu, which is highly polished, is set against a matte finish. This provides a nice contrast and emphasizes the skilled detail of the carved of serpent. The rest of the piece is covered in a micaceous slip providing a delicate sparkle to the rest of the jar.

Although Dora was quite innovative with her pottery designs, she is also a traditionalist, who collects and process her own clay and fires outdoors rather than use a kiln.  Dora learned to create beautiful pottery from her mother, Candelaria Gachupin, of Zia Pueblo and mother-in-law, the famous Rose Gonzales of San Ildefonso Pueblo.

Dora Tse-Pé is recognized as a master potter, and was awarded the title Master of Indian Market. She is and has always been a perfectionist in her art career. She carefully achieves a beautifully smooth polish through hours of burnishing her pieces. The beauty of the red polished slip transforms the clay to a heightened level of sophistication.  Dora Tse-Pé has always produced dramatic pottery and this is another example of one made over 30 years ago.

Condition: Excellent – original condition.
Provenance: Acquired from a private collector.