Though Costa Rican ceramic artists enjoyed depicting armadillos in their work, few examples exist as beautiful as this one. The exquisite harmony of the elongated body and the stout legs creates a perfect balance of form and geometric arrangement. The head is particularly elegant, with the armor plating done in a checkerboard pattern curving gracefully on the nose. Broad red and white lines around the legs and lower portion give the impression of movement and the tactile sense of softness. This effect is very cleverly counterbalanced by the use of a tight checkerboard pattern on the neck, and bands of triangles over the body to represent the armadillo's hard, scaly armor. Every inch of this vessel shows expert skill, attention to detail and an artist's love of his or her art. L. 41.2(16 1/2IN)