Taos Pueblo 4-piece Nacimiento by Alma [SOLD]

Although Alma Concha is from Jemez/Laguna Pueblos, she is mostly known for the figures she made during her years at Taos Pueblo.  She learned to make pottery from her mother Carrie Loretto of Jemez Pueblo and has gone on to produce some of the most collectible nacimientos.  Her figures have little or no painted designs and are typically wrapped in undecorated blankets.  Usually the human figures have prominent noses and no eyes but the animals have painted eyes.  Alma has been known to make the male figures with the Pueblo chongo but since living at Taos, she has created the figures with Taos braids.  Alma makes nacimientos with large figures and miniatures and uses a slip of red and buff.

This large nacimiento includes a very tall angel with lovely designs on her halo and wings, a kneeling Mary and Joseph and the Christ Child in a traditional cradle board.  Aside from the open mouth of the angel, all the pieces have no painted eyes or mouths but do show a distinctive pointed nose.  As is usual with Alma's nacimientos, this one shows Mary and Joseph each wrapped in an undecorated blanket and all the pieces are painted in matte red and buff.  Each piece is signed Alma L. Concha.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this was purchased in the 1990s by a resident of Albuquerque and now we have received it from her estate.

Recommended Reading: Nacimientos by Guy and Doris Monthan