Polychrome Pitcher 1400 - 1520

Editor: This is a Polychrome Pitcher, made sometime between 1400 and 1520 in Cholula. It's made of terracotta and ceramic. What I notice immediately is the very distinct, almost severe, separation between the darker section and the brighter top and bottom bands. It makes the pitcher look segmented. How do you read the interplay of forms and colors in this work? Curator: Indeed. One is immediately drawn to the triadic color scheme and the sharp delineations. The composition pivots on a tension between the rotund lower form and the attenuated, almost flamboyant spout. Consider how the artist has exploited the plasticity of the terracotta. Do you observe any intentional scoring or manipulation of the surface to guide the viewer's eye or disrupt the otherwise smooth contours? Editor: I see a little scalloped design near the bottom, and then, of course, the lines around the colored sections seem to separate the shape out a little. It emphasizes its shape, even as it sort of breaks it apart. So would you say the colors serve mainly to define form? Curator: To limit ourselves to that single dimension would be a disservice. The gradations within each colored field and the subtle surface variations imbue the object with a certain depth that belies its utilitarian purpose. The artist utilizes a vocabulary of shape and pigment to affect an aesthetic experience. Notice, too, how the handle, a seemingly functional element, echoes the curve of the spout, binding the composition. Editor: That's interesting, I hadn't noticed the connection between the spout and handle. Seeing how you break it down formally like this really highlights all the artist's considerations. Curator: Exactly, our focus is the art itself. It reveals a careful strategy in both construction and embellishment. It is a functional form elevated to something more profound.