San Ildefonso Pueblo Polychrome Olla by Maria Martinez [SOLD]

The shape of this vessel is very traditional to the Tewa pueblos, particularly San Ildefonso.  It has a very aggressive swell at mid-section, a graceful neck and a flared-out rim.  It displays the typical Tewa paste with volcanic ash and white stone fragments as temper.  There is no question regarding it being from San Ildefonso Pueblo.  Further analysis of the jar is presented in the following paragraphs.

The date is somewhat more questionable.  Is it pre-1900 or post-1900?  According to Batkin, “several modifications occurred between 1895 and 1910.”  For some unknown reason, some potters began abandoning the use of red slip on the rim and switched to black.  Since all potters probably did not make this change at the same time, there could be some jars with red slip on the rim having been made post-1910.  This jar does have a red-slipped rim.

Another acceptable change occurred around 1905.  Martina Vigil (1856-1916) and Florentino Montoya (1858-1918), who were frequent visitors to Cochiti Pueblo, discovered the bentonite slip being used by Cochiti potters which did not require stone polishing but could be rag-wiped onto the pottery.  They brought this knowledge back to San Ildefonso and potters adopted its use.  It was a major time saver for the potters.  Some potters continued using the San Ildefonso slip a decade or two longer, but most changed immediately.  This jar does have the rag-wiped bentonite Cochiti slip.

Maria Martinez has been associated with this vessel shape and is known to have made vessels of this shape.  If the jar dates to circa 1910, then Maria would have been 23 years old and certainly very capable of making a vessel of this quality.  Maria has stated that her older sister Maximiliana (Anna) painted some of her pottery when the men were busy in the fields.  Also, Crescencio, Anna’s husband, is known to have painted some of Maria’s pottery as well.  So also did Julian.  Julian was an expert painter as was Crescencio.  Anna apparently was not as good at painting. The painting on this jar does not appear to be of the quality of Julian or Crescencio.  The quality of the painting is like that of Anna.

If we accept the date of circa 1910 for this jar, near the end of the period of red-slipped rims, and accept that it is a favored vessel shape associated with Maria Martinez, then it is not out of line to attribute the jar to the hands of Maria.  Who painted it?  It appears to be more in line with the quality of painting done by Anna than by any of the mentioned men.  An attribution to Maria having made the jar and Anna having painted it is quite logical.

Condition: very good condition.  No evidence of restoration of any sort.

Provenance:  Originally from the collection of Gerald P. Peters, with a label with his name affixed on underside and a price written in pencil of $10.00.  Originally sold by Adobe Gallery in 2002 to a client residing in New York who has brought it back to us to sell.

References: 

Pottery of the Pueblos of New Mexico 1700-1940 by Jonathan Batkin

The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez by Richard Spivey