The Highland Nariño area of southern Colombia and northern Ecuador has quite a rich history of ceramic art. Three major stylistic complexes have been determined for the region starting around 750 CE: Capuli, Piartal, and Tuza. While Capuli has generally been deemed the oldest, Piartal and Tuza seem to be somewhat related, and there are examples of mixed styles. All three complexes look similar at first glace, characterized by creme, black, brown, and red slip-covered ceramic vessels decorated with geometric, anthropomorphic, and zoomorphic motifs. As is often the case, however, each complex has its own individual characteristics and techniques. This bowl is a classic example of the Piartal style, featuring a black-on-creme resist technique with added red coloration. Both the interior and exterior are decorated: the exterior with grouped bands of creme stripes against a dark background; the interior with a alternating red and creme bullseye in the tondo, a red sunburst around the sides with smaller creme bullseyes and crow's feet in the negative space. Ref: Stone-Miller, Rebecca, Seeing with New Eyes: Highlights of the Michael C. Carlos Museum, Atlanta: Emory University (2002), pp. 187 - 181. Labbé, Armand J., Colombia Before the Colombians: The People, Culture, and Ceramic Art of Prehispanic Colombia, New York: Rizzoli (1986), pp. 134 - 159. Medium: Clay Dimensions: Diameter: 8 inches (20.32 cm), Height: 3 1/4 inches (8.3 cm) Condition: The bowl is intact and in very good condition overall, with no cracks or breaks. Provenance: Collection of George and Julianne Alderman, Baltimore, MD. Acquired mid 1960’s to mid 1990’s.
