Cochiti Pueblo Flight to Egypt Figurine Set [R]

Although this set is not signed with the name of the artisan, I am positive it was made by Josephine Arquero.  I have had such sets in the past and they were very similar to this one.  The braided rope is exactly like that on a previous set we had at the gallery.

This Cochiti Pueblo set has all the attributes of what one would consider folk art.  Joseph is pictured taller than the donkey but Mary is very much diminutive in scale compared with Joseph.  That is the charm of the set. 

Josephine Arquero (born 1928) is the daughter of Damacia Cordero and was taught the art of pottery figurine construction by her mother. Josephine's figurines do not resemble those of her mother's, but have a character of their own.  She is the sister to Martha Arquero, Marie Laweka and Gloria Herrera, all of whom are recognized potters.  Josephine specializes in figurative pottery—mostly storytellers, nacimientos, and animals.  She dresses her human figures in traditional clothing.

Condition: original condition

Recommended Reading: Nacimientos: Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans.  This book is out of print and currently not available from Adobe Gallery

Provenance: from the collection of a family from Wichita, Kansas