Twelve Piece Cochiti Pueblo Nacimiento Set by Ada Suina

This Cochiti Pueblo twelve piece pottery nacimiento set by Ada Suina was made about 40 years ago, a decade or less after she made her first set in 1977. It features the Holy Family, an angel, the Three Kings, a shepherd, and four animals. Mary, Joseph, and the angel are kneeling around Baby Jesus who lies on a cradleboard. The shepherd has a blanket draped over his shoulder. The three animals are a cow, a donkey, and two sheep. One king carries a gift of a rabbit, one carries 3 ears of corn, and the third carries a pottery bowl. Ada says they were taught that the kings brought the necessities, not fancy gifts.

After Ada made her first nacimiento in 1977, she immediately achieved fame for them. The Museum of Albuquerque, which opened in 1979, promptly purchased a nacimiento set from her for its permanent collection. Ada was included in the 1979 book Nacimientos by Guy and Doris Monthan (see Recommended Reading below for more information on this book).

As a a nonagenarian, Ada no longer makes pottery figurines, but she is still living at Cochiti Pueblo. She has four daughters who are potters.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Twelve Piece Cochiti Pueblo Nacimiento Set by Ada Suina is from the collection of a client of Adobe Gallery

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

TAGS:  Cochiti Pueblo, Stephanie Rhoades (Snowflake Flower), Virginia Naranjo, pottery making, pottery figurines, Ada Suina