Original Historic Photogravure of Hopi Pottery Maker Nampeyo 1913

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A beautifully framed original 1913 historic photogravure of renowned Hopi Pottery maker, Nampeyo in the process of making pottery

Here for a change, is a wonderful historic Nampeyo piece which is not a piece of pottery, rather it is a unique

historic image of the great Hopi pottery artist, Nampeyo of Hano in the process of making her incomparable pottery.

This wonderful image entitled “Nampaya, Hopi Pottery Maker” has been identified by Indiana University as having been

taken on July 8, 1913, by photographer Joseph K. Dixon. An identical photogravure print is part of the Rodman

Wanamaker Collection of American Indian Photographs at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, Indiana University.

Nampeyo, born in 1858, would have been some 55 years of age when this 1913 photograph was taken. She had

already achieved serious and substantial artistic recognition and renown at this point in time due to her extraordinary pottery-making abilities and the extensive promotional campaign about her by The Fred Harvey Company and Santa Fe Railway and she was widely considered to be something of a Southwestern celebrity with many people from around the country and the world; academics, anthropologists, ethnologists, art collectors and curious intrepid tourists making

the long, arduous journey to the remote Hopi mesas in hopes of seeing her in person and perhaps purchasing a piece of her pottery. She is very nicely portrayed here sitting on a blanket likely in front of her house in her home village of Hano atop the Hopi First Mesa in the process of making pottery in her customary fashion, something she did nearly every day.

At left, a low-profile Hopi “Eagletail” jar, c. 1910 by Nampeyo similar in style to the jar at left in the photo above. We sold this jar to The Art Institute of Chicago in 2002. At right, a large Hopi plainware “Snake” canteen similar to the canteen in the Dixon photograph.

The sepia-toned photogravure has been very beautifully matted and framed to the highest archival standards under

Tru-Vue conservation “Museum” glass in a hand-carved light maple wood frame custom made by Goldleaf Framemakers of Santa Fe, Santa Fe’s finest fine art frame makers. The photogravure itself measures 5 1/4" in height by 6 1/2" in width (sight) and the framed dimensions of the piece are 11 3/4" in height and 13” in width. Both the photogravure and frame are in excellent original condition. The photogravure is titled "Nampaya, Hopi Pottery Maker" at the bottom center and it is also marked “Copr. Rodman Wanamaker” in a cursive script at the lower left.

This photograph is a rare and beautiful historic document portraying a brilliant, world-renowned Native American

artist in the process of creating her beautiful and historic art. It would be a wonderful and unique complement to any Southwestern Native pottery or other art collection.

SOLD