Marie Gachupin Romero Jemez Pueblo 9 Piece Polychrome Nacimiento [SOLD]

Adobe Gallery has featured figurines and Nacimientos from Jemez Pueblo potter Marie Gachupin Romeo before.  What we have not seen, however, is a set from this early in her artistic career—most likely the 1980s.   Experimenting with her preferences, the artist dressed most of the humans in striped shawls in this nacimiento.  Furthermore, each figure is entirely with a matte finish. 

Three wise men have brought gifts of bread, corn, and a bowl.  Each is smiling with eyes open and wearing their long black hair tied back in a chongo.  A shepherd bends down on one knee and holds a staff in one hand while resting the other on the back of his sheep.  He is the only adult human figurine without a striped shawl. The sheep stands patiently next to him, and each is smiling.  

Joseph also holds a staff in the hand he holds outside of his striped textile, alongside his hair pulled back in a chongo like the other men.  Mary kneels next to Joseph over her infant son, her hair covered with her shawl.  Both join the rest of the group in the smiles upon their faces.  Baby Jesus is carefully strapped into a cradleboard decorated with pristine and sweet geometrics, taking after the adults of the scene with a smile on his little face. The angel is wrapped in a striped blanket with arms entended out.  It is always nice to see something new from a favorite artist, and this Nacimiento is a wonderful surprise.  

The faces of her figurines are beautifully sculpted and always portray an angelic presence. She most often combined matte-paint and stone-polished slip in the same piece. She would sign her pottery creations as Marie G. Romero Jemez.

Marie Gachupin Romero (1927-2007) was the daughter of Joe and Persingula Gachupin and made pottery of the finest quality for over 50 years. Her specialty was figurative pottery, primarily storytellers and nacimientos.  In the book Nacimientos - Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans by Guy and Doris Monthan, published in 1979, Marie G. Romero is the only artist listed from Jemez Pueblo.

Condition: excellent

Provenance: this Marie Gachupin Romero Jemez Pueblo 9 Piece Polychrome Nacimiento is from the personal collection of a family who reside in New Mexico. 

Recommended Reading: Nacimientos - Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans by Guy and Doris Monthan

TAGS: Southwest Indian Pottery, Jemez Pueblo - Walatowa, Contemporary Pottery, Marie Gachupin Romero, Jemez Pueblo Potter, Persingula Gachupin