Tlaloc (Garden Seat)

Name/Title

Tlaloc (Garden Seat)

Entry/Object ID

2010.24

Artwork Details

Medium

stoneware

Context

Credit Line: Purchased by the Canton Museum of Art

Made/Created

Artist

Claude Conover

Date made

n.d.

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Object Size

Height

16-1/4 in

Width

15 in

Depth

15 in

Interpretative Labels

Label

Reminiscent of ancient vessels, Conover decorated the surfaces of his stoneware pieces with cryptic scratches, stripes, and hatchings. He constructed stoneware slabs into pots of various sizes and shapes, each with a unique pattern created by handmade rollers and blades, sometimes finished with clay slip. Most are monochromatic. The vessels were grouped and displayed at ground level, often decorated with willow branches. Conover always gave his garden stools names that sounded ancient, matching the look of his pieces. Tlaloc is one of the most important gods in Aztec religion. As ruler of rain, Tlaloc brought fertility to the crops. It was by his blessing that the seasonal rains arrived on time for the vital maize harvest. It is fitting that this garden seat would rest in a place where rain would be vital to crops, paying homage to Tlaloc and asking him to bless the garden where it sat.