RARE Black-on-black Shallow Bowl with Birds signed Marie & Julian [R]

As early as 1929, Ruth Bunzel praised Julian’s designs which she stated were “executed with such exquisite technical perfection, and such an unerring sense of the limitations and possibilities of his technique . . .[were] incomparably freer than anything else produced in San Ildefonso, or, indeed, in the whole Southwest.” She further stated “He is a skillful painter, and a man of considerable originality and sensitiveness to problems of design.”  [Bunzel, 1929:58]

Maria and Julian were responsible for the revival of pottery production at San Ildefonso and largely responsible for the overall revival in interest in pueblo pottery from all pueblos.  Maria was making beautiful pottery and Julian was adding to that beauty with his painting skills.

This shallow bowl features a combination of birds, rain clouds and eagle feathers in an almost identical arrangement as one in the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture which is dated circa 1940.  There is also a storage jar in MIAC with the same bird design, also dated circa 1940.  [Spivey, 2003, 39, 42.]  Apparently that was a year in which Julian produced a few items with this bird design.  We are not aware of any similar ones by Julian other than these three mentioned.  It is assumed that this is a very rare example of this design and possibly the only one on the open market.

Condition: structurally in excellent condition but there are abrasions and scratches.

Provenance: from a family in Indiana who has owned it since the 1940s.

References: 

Bunzel, Ruth. The Pueblo Potter: A Study of Creative Imagination in Primitive Art, New York, Columbia University Press, 1929.

Spivey, Richard. The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez, Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, 2003