Artwork
Urn
Artist
Unknown
DepartmentLatin American Art
CultureZapotec
Dateca. A.D. 300-600
MediumEarthenware
Dimensionsh. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm)
w. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm)
d. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm)
w. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm)
d. 5 1/4 in. (13.3 cm)
Credit LineSan Antonio Museum of Art,, gift of Ramona Frates Seeligson
Object number98.12.11
GeographyPlace madeOaxaca, Mexico
General regionNorth and Central America
DescriptionCeramic urn of a seated individual adorned with an ornate headdress, ear flares, and pectoral. The decorative elements are appliqued unto the foundation of the vessel.Label TextElaborately decorated urns are a signature of Zapotec society. This urn is typical to the genre with the use of a fine-grained gray and application of red pigment. All the decorative elements are mold-made and appliqued to the main body of the urn. Most Zapotec urns are associated with mortuary contexts. Scholars debate as to if the individual depicted represents a deity, an ancestor, or an ancestor impersonating a deity.
(Bernadette Cap, 2020)Provenancewith Mrs. A. A. Seeligson, Sr. (Romana Frates Seeligson) (1898-1998), San Antonio, TX, before 1998; by gift of the estate of Mrs. A. A. Seeligson, Sr. to the San Antonio Museum of Art, 1998On view
Collections
The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
