San Ildefonso Black on Red Gourd Shape Jar [SOLD]

Tonita Martinez Roybal (1892-1945) Antonita has been acclaimed to have been one of the finest potters of the twentieth century. She was a contemporary of Maria Martinez and sometimes collaborated with her. Roybal, in her early years, not only made all her own pottery, she decorated it as well. Only after she married Juan Cruz Roybal in 1916 did she have someone else paint the pottery for her. After 1930, her husband painted most of her pottery.

Tonita was the daughter of Dominguita Pino Martinez (1860-1948).   Her mother was her teacher.  Dominguita is well known for making black-on-red jars and likely influenced her daughter to do the same.  Tonita’s brother was Crescencio Martinez, a famous San Ildefonso painter, known for easel painting as well as painting his mother’s pottery.

Tonita was an expert in shaping vessels. This somewhat rounded gourd-shape jar with its short upright neck is one of the shapes she produced so elegantly. The design is one that resembles a sunflower when viewed from above. There is a continued expression of floral elements to the design.  The overall appearance is a gestural pronouncement of form and design indicating lightness in style yet tradition in meaning.

Tonita was introduced to the work of Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo around 1920, and was impressed and influenced by Nampeyo’s Sikyatki-inspired designs.  The design on this jar is most definitely inspired by the work of Nampeyo.  The square design around the round opening, the feathers descending from the edges of the square, and the pendants from the corners of the square are very much Nampeyo-like.  Tonita took Nampeyo’s small tear-drop pendants and expanded them to flowers. 

The jar is slipped from top to bottom with red clay.  It is signed on the underside with the potter's name, into the clay, an indication that it was probably made and painted by Tonita.  Pottery painted by her husband was generally signed Tonita & Juan.

The major collector of pottery made by this artist was Santa Fe resident and Indian art dealer Richard M. Howard, who passed away a few years ago.  A large selection of his Roybal pottery collection was sold by Nedra Matteucci Galleries in 2007.  Mr. Howard often stated that Tonita was one of the best potters of the 20th century, as good as Maria Martinez, but was overshadowed by Maria's publicity and popularity.

Condition: very good condition with some minor scrapes on the edge of the rim

Recommended Reading: Pueblo Indian Pottery – 750 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

Provenance: from a private collection