Black-on-black Lidded Box by Susana Martinez Aguilar [SOLD]

This Black-on-black lidded box was made by Susana Martinez Aguilar of San Ildefonso Pueblo. It is a small, modestly sized cubic box with a short semicircular handle placed at the center of its lid. The lid's underside has a slightly raised rectangular plane to keep the lid firmly in place. This is a challenging form to execute, and Aguilar did a wonderful job.

Painted designs appear on each side and on top of the lid. The designs on the sides are nearly identical, with slight variations appearing at the top of each element. The designs on the top circle around the handle. These designs are simple and strong; they were clearly applied by a skilled hand.

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

Susana Aguilar (ca.1876-1949) was a San Ildefonso potter. Susana 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 was not signed. Her son, Joe Aguilar, may have painted some of her jars. "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 prehistoric pottery. She also painted whiteware seed jars in a style similar to the Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo." (Schaaf 2000)

Condition: very good condition. Some light abrasion, mostly around the rim as a result of contact with the lid.

Provenance: this Black-on-black Lidded Box by Susana Martinez Aguilar is from a private collection

References:

- Schaaf, Gregory. Pueblo Indian Pottery: 750 Artist Biographies, 2000

- Batkin, Jonathan. Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940

TAGS: San Ildefonso Pueblo, Contemporary Southwest Indian Pottery