Cochiti Pueblo 17-piece Pottery Nacimiento by Helen Cordero [SOLD]

In 1970, the Heard Museum of Phoenix, which already had many of Cordero’s Cochiti Pueblo figurines in its collection, asked her to do something different.  She recalls that she thought of doing a Noah’s Ark, then thought of the Nativity.  She decided to make it in the Pueblo Indian style.  She made a set, entered it in the Heard Museum’s Annual Indian Arts and Crafts Exhibit where it won the Best of Show Award.  That December it was featured in the museum’s folk art exhibit and has been exhibited every Christmas since.

In 1972, Helen Cordero made this 17-piece nacimiento for a friend in Albuquerque.  The addition of children and puppies to the scene is a Helen Cordero trademark.  Her cattle always bear the Cochiti brand.  Her people have their eyes closed and mouths open as in all her other figurine pottery.  Helen said she made nacimientos the way it is traditional at Cochiti Pueblo—the clothes they wear, the gifts they bring, and the animals of the pueblo.  She never used sheep because there are none at Cochiti.

Baby Jesus is swaddled in a traditional wood cradleboard on rabbit fur.  The empty bowl being carried by one female has been filled with turquoise nuggets.  The small dog and bird were not part of the original set and may not have been made by Cordero, but they are included now.

 Condition: this Cochiti Pueblo 17-piece Pottery Nacimiento by Helen Cordero is in very good condition.

Provenance: from the collection of the original purchaser in 1972.  

Recommended Reading (Note that this nativity set was published 3 times!):

Nacimientos: Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans by Guy and Doris Monthan.  This nativity set is featured on page 28 of this book (see second detail image).

Nativities of the Southwest by Susan Topp Webber.  This nativity set is featured on page 23 of this book (see below).

This set was also featured in the book Art and Indian Individualists, 1975.

Helen Cordero image - Reference: Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.

Relative Links: Helen Cordero, Cochiti, figurine