Pedro Guerrero Nicaraguan Chorotega Hand-Carved Ceramic Fish Bud Vase

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A striking hand-thrown and hand-decorated ceramic bud vase by Nicaraguan master ceramicist Pedro Guerrero of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua, … Read more A striking hand-thrown and hand-decorated ceramic bud vase by Nicaraguan master ceramicist Pedro Guerrero of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua, distinguished by its sculptural disc form and exceptionally intricate fish decoration.

Measuring 11.50 inches in diameter x 4.25 inches high, the vessel presents a dramatic low, rounded silhouette centered by a raised circular opening. Its expansive surface is meticulously decorated with four stylized fish rendered in rich terracotta red, orange, deep blue, green, black and warm earth tones. Fine linear carving, repeating scales, foliage and radiating geometric patterns create extraordinary movement across the surface and give the piece a graphic quality that reads beautifully from across a room while rewarding close inspection.

For more than 25 years, the Guerrero family has been dedicated to preserving and revitalizing the ceramic traditions of their Chorotega ancestors. A fourth-generation member of a family of master ceramicists, Pedro Guerrero combines centuries-old pre-Columbian pottery techniques with a distinctly contemporary artistic vocabulary.

Each Guerrero vessel begins with clay prepared by hand in the family's workshop. Pieces are individually formed, carved, sculpted and decorated by hand using natural mineral pigments before being fired in traditional kilns. The labor-intensive process ensures that each work possesses its own subtle variations and is a unique expression of the artist's hand.

The Guerrero family's ceramics have received international recognition through cultural exchanges, museum exhibitions and competitions in Italy, Spain, Taiwan, Iran, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia and the Dominican Republic, with examples represented in museum collections in Germany, Argentina and Taiwan.

The underside is hand signed and inscribed by the artist: "Pedro Guerrero, San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua."

With its bold scale, sophisticated palette and highly graphic surface treatment, this vessel works particularly well for interior designers and architects seeking an artisanal statement object with strong visual presence. Display it horizontally as a sculptural centerpiece on a large coffee table, dining table or console, or vertically on a stand to emphasize the extraordinary radial composition. It would be especially effective within Modernist, contemporary, organic modern, Latin American, Southwestern, eclectic or globally collected interiors.

More than a decorative ceramic, the piece bridges contemporary Latin American design, Nicaraguan studio pottery and indigenous Chorotega ceramic traditions, making it equally compelling as a design object and as a collectible work of ceramic art.

Dimensions: 11.50 in. diameter x 4.25 in. high
Artist: Pedro Guerrero
Origin: San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua
Material: Hand-worked clay / ceramic with natural mineral pigments
Technique: Hand formed, carved and hand decorated
Markings: Hand signed by the artist See less