ART 198 - HISTORY OF WORLD CERAMICS

This beautiful polychrome cylinder vase is notable for its bold use of color, and striking design of a swimming catfish set against a background of a brilliant red slip made from iron oxide. The Maya artist was a keen observer of the natural world, and this catfish is immediately recognizable with the long whisker hanging from its mouth and its curving dorsal fins. The upper portion of the catfish was painted with the 'fugitive green' slip made with copper oxide. This green has indeed proven 'fugitive,' since over time it has faded to a pale gray-green. While this may seem a straightforward depiction of a fish native to the Maya region, it represents more than that. Just as the Greeks told tales of their heroes, such as Odysseus, or Achilles, or Ajax, on their pottery, the Maya did likewise. The main figures in Maya myth are the Hero Twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, who must prove their bravery by a series of superhuman feats, including travel through the Underworld where they meet such denizens as Camazótz, the killer bat and Itzamná, Lord of the Underworld. In one such adventure in the Underworld, the Twins sacrifice themselves in a bonfire, then magically reappear as catfish. So, this vase carries the image of the Hero Twins in this guise. The opposite side of this vase has the other Twin. Even without knowing the story behind this vase, it can be simply appreciated for its sophisticated painting and design.

Maya Polychrome Cylinder Vase with Catfish from Guatemala Classic Maya Period, 672-830 CE