Spouted Vessel with Painted Motifs

The bold interlocking swirl of red and white on this vessel suggests worldly dualities, or the coexistence of forces. The Quapaw peoples are well-known for painted ceramics, such as this, that often juxtapose color combinations of red and white. The group migrated south from the Ohio River valley to the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers around the 16th century. During this time, Quapaw artists stopped using exotic North American materials sourced through long-distance trade, such as copper and shell, and instead expanded upon earlier ceramic traditions. These included vessel forms that resembled elements found in nature. Here, the artist may have drawn inspiration from the globular body and tapering neck of a gourd. Alternately, this teapot form may mimic vessels introduced following the arrival of Europeans in the mid-16th century.

The Quapaw nation continued to inhabit what is now Arkansas through the early 19th century. Following policies set by the United States government and the signing of three treaties, the US government forcibly removed Quapaw peoples to present-day Oklahoma, where the Quapaw nation is located today.