Wolayta and Hilansha
Vessel for Beer (Gan)
Wolayta or Hilansha, Mid-20th century
Scroll
Physical Qualities
Ceramic, 71.1 x 50.8 Diam. cm. (28 x 20 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Brigadier General and Mrs. Jack Capps, Lenexa, Kansas
Object Number
2005.89
Making a large ceramic storage vessel is no easy task. Only the most talented artists can bring such a massive pot to completion without breakage. She must obtain the appropriate clay, successfully mold the vessel by hand, and then adorn, fire and burnish the surface. This impressive vessel, with its refined surface, subtly formed handles, and decorative bands, was purchased from its maker in central Ethiopia between 1956 and 1957 by American brigadier general, Jack Capps. Its sale suggests the trade connections and international presence that linked Ethiopian communities to others abroad.
The Baltimore Museum of Art by gift, 2005; Brigadier General and Mrs. Jack Capps, Hanover, Pennsylvania
Nichole Bridges, The Baltimore Museum of Art, "Hand Held: Personal Arts from Africa," Sept. 25, 2011-Feb. 5, 2012.
