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THBTwo Tesuque Rain Gods, ca. 1890-1900
About Seller
932 Railfan Road
Santa Fe, NM 87505
United States
Boasting the third-largest art market in the United States, Santa Fe has long been a destination for new and seasoned collectors. Located in the heart of the city’s historic downtown, and organized in conjunction with the Gerald Peters Gallery, the Santa Fe Art Auction is the Southwest’s premier ann...Read more
Live Auction in Progress ... Currently on Lot Two ways to bid:
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About Auction
LiveFeb 7, 2021
Session Two features two remarkable private collections from Mark Blackburn, comprising an extensive and rare collection of Tesuque Rain Gods, and another of Mojave Dolls, along with a very early Hopi figural grouping that appears in Julian Scott’s 1890 Census Report. Santa Fe Art Auction info@santafeartauction.com
View Full Catalog (191)
- Lot Description
Tesuque
Two Rain Gods, ca. 1890-1900fired clay
Bull Rain God
white slipthe figure holding a pot it lap, with a zoomorphic bull faceinscribed verso: 'C/T/C/M' (*Candelario The Curio Man)
6 1/4 x 2 3/4 x 3 in., (15.88 x 6.98 x 7.62 cm.)
J.S. Candelario, a Santa Fe merchant, reportedly inscribed the initials "CTCM" on objects that he commissioned, including Rain Gods that were made for him at Tesuque Pueblo. They are exceedingly rare today. (Anderson)
Rain Godhaving a very unusual bell-shaped base, with hands partially covering mouth and cheek
6 x 3 x 3 in., (15.24 x 7.62 x 7.62 cm.)
The Mark Blackburn Collection
From the Collector:
Tesuque Rain Gods have always appealed to me, even though they were made for the bourgeoning tourist market beginning in the 1880s. Long overlooked, the sculptural elements are based in pueblo cultures with a long history of working with clay. The earliest pieces in this collection are quite interesting and very rare. Made of micaceous clay, they show strong affinities to early New World ceramics. Like the collection of Mojave pottery on offer, I acquired these wonderful objects over many years, seeking out pieces that were unusual in nature, and that showed the evolution in style and form over a 50 year period. I hope you enjoy these wonderful fun figures as much as I did collecting them.
- Mark Blackburn, Honolulu, Hawaii
From expert Robert Gallegos:
The earliest published offerings of these clay “idols” may have been in the H. H. Tammen Co. catalogues, ca. 1880. The firm, based in Denver, Colorado, specialized in “Curious Things” from the Rocky Mountain region. In latter catalogues, the image of a Rain God was used as a logo on the front cover. The earliest types were made of or slipped with micaceous clay. They often had horns and looked devilish, and some were sexually explicit. These early figures may have had some cultural ties to earlier traditions. The Victorian era buying public found these sexually explicit figures off-putting, and the figures were modified for the tourist trade. Around 1900, the styles began to change as companies like Gunther Candy Company ordered large quantities to be offered as prizes in their boxed candy. The form evolved into a white-slipped idol with black, blue and red details. They were sold as Gods of War, Gods of Pain, Gods of Plenty, Gods of Hunger, Fish God, and others. Some had pots in their lap and some had pots on their heads. Sets of ‘See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Speak No Evil’ were also made. The tourists and the early ethnographers were intrigued with the sacred and taboo. What better way to satisfy this need? Candelario’s of Santa Fe was one of the main promoters of the rain gods. One of the rarest forms is a whitewashed rain god with the initials “CTCM,” or “Candelario The Curio Man,” scratched vertically on the back. Another rare form is the black rain god. Some have suggested this form was derived from the Kokopelli. The Tewa of Hano, according to Kathleen Gratz Bradford, refer to Kokopelli as a tall, black man. After the 1930s, the forms were painted with bright poster paints. From the 1960s onward, natural paints were used again.
Literature:
Duane Anderson, When Rain Gods Reigned, From Curios to Art at Tesuque Pueblo, Museum of New Mexico Press: Santa Fe, 2002Bell figure arms and head have been reattached. Normal wear consistent with age.Condition
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