Begay, Daniel – 10″ Tall Brown Fired Jar with Yei Figures

6.5"w x 10"h

$ 2,200.00

This is a striking large carved jar by Daniel Begay. The shape has a high shoulder and a short neck.  The jar is carved with two large Yei figures. The Yei figures are traditional to Navajo art.  One has a square head with a feather design and the other a round head with a shawl pattern.  They are representative of male and female.  Separating them are long panels of cloud, swirl, wind, and rain patterns.  The jar is deeply carved and there is a contrast of both matte and polisehd surfaces.  Most interestingly, the jar is fired brown, which harkens to the traditional Navajo pottery that is fired and then covered with pinon-pitch and results in a similar coloration.  The matte is smooth and perfectly sanded to create the best visual contrast.  This certainly adds to the sophistication of his carving and designs. Note how Daniel’s designs also combine both thin and thicker lines to enhance the imagery.  The style of carving has a beveled appearance to the angle of the cuts into the clay.  The jar is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Daniel 2021”.