San Ildefonso Pueblo Black Carved Jar with Avanyu Design [SOLD]

Susana Aguilar was a contemporary of Maria Martinez and Tonita Roybal.  She was an active potter from around 1895-1947.  According to Batkin, "Susana was a skilled potter whose work has been unfairly overlooked by many; her pots are among the most finely made of the 1920s and 1930s."

Susana was the wife of Ignacio Aguilar, whose mother, Marianita Roybal Aguilar, is known as the earliest potter who can be identified by name because she signed her name to a vessel she created in 1881.  It is the earliest signed vessel from any potter of any pueblo.

Susana is thought to have begun signing her pottery around 1925.  Pottery made before that date is not signed.  Her son, Joe Aguilar, may have painted some of her jars.  One of Susana's pots is a polychrome jar, black and orange-on-cream.  The neck is long and graceful.  The middle is compressed and elegant in shape.  The design appears only on the upper shoulder, a polychrome frieze of rain clouds that seem to be blowing in two directions.

"According to Maureen Grammer, Susana was encouraged to experiment with new styles by Kenneth Chapman.  She made some painted redware that looked similar to Four Mile, a style of pre-historic pottery.  She also painted whiteware seed jars in a style similar to the Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo." (Schaaf 2000)

Most references to pottery by Susanna speak of redware, blackware, painted pottery, etc., but nothing mentions her carved pottery, similar to that of Santa Clara Pueblo pottery.  This jar is carved in that style.  Perhaps it was one of the Kenneth Chapman encouragements that resulted in her producing a carved jar such as this.  It is quite possible that her son did the carving. 

Susana signed her pottery with large block letters often scratched into the clay.  That is the manner in which this jar is signed.  Since she began signing her pottery in 1925 and she passed away in 1947, we know this jar falls within those dates.

Condition:  Structurally the jar is in excellent condition.  There is some abrasion of the black slip on the top of the rim and a few scratches here and there but nothing of great significance.

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