Large San Ildefonso Pueblo Black-on-black Pottery Jar signed Marie—Julian

Marie & Julian:

A Journey of Innovation and Collaboration in Black-on-Black Pottery

The jar, bearing the dual signature Marie & Julian was likely completed in the 1930s. This period is characterized by Julian's simple and elegant designs, as exemplified by the three-pronged Avanyu design with seven small matte black dots.

The jar's organic shape is visually pleasing, with a small base that expands and curves upwards, culminating in a pyramidal wall. The entire jar, except for the matte decorative elements, is polished.

The pottery created by Maria Martinez (1884-1980) and painted by Julian Martinez (1885-1943) between 1925 and 1943 carries the dual signature "Marie - Julian." From 1925 until Julian's death in 1943, Maria shared this signature with him. Their collaboration extended beyond their marriage and four children to their joint refinement of the Black-on-black pottery process.

In the early days, Maria would polish the pottery after Julian had painted the design, a labor-intensive process. After discussing this issue, they discovered that the entire piece could be polished first, followed by the application of clay ornamentation. This innovation not only streamlined their workflow but also introduced a new design and category for pueblo pottery. Despite their years of collaboration, pottery bearing both signatures are rare, especially those with original designs.

The jar is larger than many of those by Maria and Julian; a reflection of works by them from the 1930s. Later, it appears that most of Maria's pottery was smaller in scale, perhaps to expedite completion of a piece to make it available for sale, or to make it more convenient for the purchaser to carry it with them during their travels.

This jar has an interesting history, having remained in the same family since it was purchased from Maria in December 1937 by Dr. Elmer Ness, a field dentist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs/Indian Health Service. Maria was a dental patient of his.

Condition: very good condition
Provenance: this Large San Ildefonso Black-on-Black Jar Signed by Marie and Julian is from the family of the original purchaser in 1937 directly from Maria.
Recommended Reading: The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez by Richard Spivey

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Large San Ildefonso Pueblo Black-on-black Pottery Jar signed Marie-Julian is from the family of the original purchaser in 1937 directly from Maria.

Recommended Reading: The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez by Richard Spivey

TAGS: Julian Martinez, Mimbres, Maria Martinez, Southwest Indian Pottery, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Popovi Da, Santana and Adam Martinez