Arthur Lucario (Acoma / Laguna Pueblo) Wedding Vase – Hand Etched Redware Ceramic – Signed R & v Lucario

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This sculptural Native American wedding vase by Arthur Lucario (Acoma / Laguna Pueblo, b. 1942) exemplifies the balance of tradition, … Read more This sculptural Native American wedding vase by Arthur Lucario (Acoma / Laguna Pueblo, b. 1942) exemplifies the balance of tradition, technical precision, and expressive surface that distinguishes serious Pueblo pottery.

Executed in Lucario’s characteristic hand-etched technique, the vessel is formed in warm red clay and finished in a deep bark brown slip — not black, but a rich, earthy tone that enhances the dimensional contrast of the carved surface. The design is entirely hand drawn and etched; Lucario did not use stencils, instead incising directly into the greenware before firing.

The classic double-spout wedding vase form rises in a graceful arch, the twin necks joined by a fluid bridge handle. The body is decorated with finely etched ceremonial imagery: a kachina figure holding a rattle, stylized wings in motion, geometric framing elements, and sweeping organic forms. The background field is textured with rhythmic hand-tool marks that catch the light and emphasize the tactile quality of the clay.

The sculptural integrity of the form is striking — the proportions are balanced and confident, the negative space between the necks elegantly elongated. It reads as both ceremonial object and modern sculpture.

Arthur Lucario, half Acoma and half Laguna, began as a silversmith before turning to pottery. He is known for hand-etched redware ceramics and has been recognized at the New Mexico State Fair. He signs his work R & V Lucario, Laguna, referencing himself and his wife Velma, who often assisted in his studio practice. A printed artist leaflet accompanies this piece.

This vase stands shoulder to shoulder with Asian antiquities and modernist ceramics alike — culturally grounded yet sculpturally timeless.

(Includes documentation leaflet about the artist) See less