Polychrome Standing Figurine with Horns by Virgil Ortiz [SOLD]

Ortiz started making pottery at age 6 and still occasionally finds time to do more, but his life of producing designer clothing, videos, photographs, and making jewelry leave very little time to pursue his earlier career of pottery production.

Ortiz’s mother, Seferina Ortiz, encouraged her son to make traditional Cochiti pueblo pottery, but he chose to go more modern. He has produced figurines ranging from scantily-clad females, males with nipple rings, two-headed people, females dressed in long leather dresses, etc. At the same time, he has formed traditional shaped jars, but his decorations have deviated from the traditional.

His pottery has all the aspects of traditional pottery: coil formed, crystalline-rock temper in the paste, and rag-wiped bentonite slip with black guaco and red clay paints. For Ortiz, this is where tradition stops. His figurines are different from most of the pre-1900 figurines.

This figurine is probably a representation of the devil or perhaps it is a variation of the Cochiti River Man. Only Ortiz holds the key to its identification.

Ortiz has a very strong national and international client following. Having his pieces in a collection is the highlight for many collectors. We rarely get pottery by Ortiz. It is a pleasure to be able to offer this one. It is signed by the artist and dated 1992.