Nampeyo, Fannie – Jar with Hummingbird Moth Design (1960’s)

4.5"w x 3.5"h

$ 900.00

This jar by Fannie Nampeyo is a classic shape with a round shoulder and short neck.  It is painted two bee-weed (black) and a red clay slip that is stone polished.  The jar has two large hummingbirds with their beaks extended down toward the base.  Read below as to why, although it is called a hummingbird design, it is most likely a hummingbird moth.  The jar was was traditionally fired creating striking color variations on the surface.  It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair. It is signed on the bottom, “Fannie Nampeyo” and an ear of corn (for the Corn Clan).  It is from the 1960s.

“Did you know?  This design is usually called a “hummingbird” pattern. However, in reality, it is most likely the depiction of a hawk or “hummingbird” moth (Manduca quinquemaculata), which has a flexible proboscis.  The figure above the large eye represents the feathery antennae of the hawk moth.  The plant to the right is a datura on which the hawk moth feeds.”