phial
- Museum number
- Am1978,15.416.b
- Description
-
Glass phial for liquid (one of two); used in lacquering process.
- Production date
- 1970s
- Dimensions
-
Diameter: 2 centimetres
-
Height: 4.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Sayer, Chloë. Arts and Crafts of Mexico. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1990, pp. 84-5: "Left to dry out, gourds are later cut down the middle and placed in water until the insides rot; the hard rind is then cleaned out and smoothed. ... When inner surfaces have been smeared with oil from the toasted seeds of chia (Salvia Hispanica), they are lined with powdered brown earth. Next follow two coats of paste; this is made from a ground white mineral mixed with water and red commercial pigment. ... When the last layer has hardened, flower, bird and animal motifs are painted on; a final coating of oil seals the lacquer, making it heat- and water-resistant."
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1977-1978, London, Horniman Museum
- Acquisition date
- 1978
- Acquisition notes
- Objects collected during the 1970s by Chloë Sayer and Marcos Ortiz. They were exhibited in 1977-1978 at the Horniman Museum, and later acquired by the British Museum.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Am1978,15.416.b