Round Black-on-black Pottery Jar by Santana and Adam Martinez [SOLD]

This Black-on-black jar was created by San Ildefonso Pueblo potters Santana and Adam Martinez.  It has an exceptional polish and an appealing example of the traditional feather design.  The design band begins just below the jar’s widest point and extends up and over the shoulder.

The jar has a wonderful shape.  With its upturned rim and graceful shoulder, it could be described as a miniature version of a pueblo water jar, the only notable difference being a slightly wider base.  This piece is an impressive example of San Ildefonso’s stylish, beautiful blackware.

The bottom of the jar is signed “Santana / Adam.”

Adam Martinez (1903-2000) was the oldest son of Maria and Julian.  Santana Martinez (1909-2002) was Adam’s wife. They both assisted Maria with her pottery production following the death of Julian in 1943.  Occasionally, they made pottery themselves—Santana forming the vessel and painting the design, and Adam assisting in gathering clay and firing the wares.  Because of their commitment to assisting Maria, they did not make a large number of pottery pieces, as their time was limited.

"Santana came from an impressive background. Her brother was Awa Tsireh (Alfonso Roybal), considered by many critics to be the most talented of all Pueblo artists, and her mother was Alfonsita Martinez Roybal, an accomplished potter.  Her uncle, Crescencio Martinez, was San Ildefonso's first painter, one of the most gifted artists, and a pottery decorator; his wife was Maria's oldest sister, Maximiliana.  Her aunt, Tonita Martinez Roybal, was generally considered Maria's closest competitor in pottery making, and her grandmother, Dominguita Pino Martinez, was also one of San Ildefonso's better potters, known for her superior Black-on-red ware." [Spivey 2003:61]

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this Round Black-on-black Pottery Jar by Santana and Adam Martinez is from a private Illinois collection

Reference: The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez by Richard L. Spivey