Martinez, Maria – 9″ Wide Bowl with Rain and Mountain Designs “Marie + Julian” (1920s)
$ 5,500.00
WOW! This is an intricately painted large bowl by Maria Martinez and her husband, Julian. Maria would make and polish the pottery and Julian would paint the design. They began to sign “Marie + Julian” after about 1925. The bowl is a classic shape with a high shoulder. The entire piece is fully polished and then painted. There are rain and mountain designs. The rain designs are not just the rain clouds, but the thin lines that create the rain. This is a signature style of Julian’s painting from around 1925-30. It is a striking design on this larger piece. The bowl was fired to a glassy black coloration. It is signed, “Marie + Julian” in the clay. It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair. It’s always exciting to see a larger pieces of their work in such great condition.
In stock
This is a larger, intricately painted bowl by Maria Martinez and her husband, Julian. Maria would make and polish the pottery and Julian would paint the design. They began to sign “Marie + Julian” after about 1925. The jar is a classic shape for Maria’s pottery with a sharp edge to the shoulder and a sloping side. The jar is painted with a series of rain, cloud, and lightning designs. The design is repeated four times and note the linear patterns, which are a signature style of Julian’s painting. The design is one that is typical of Julian’s painting in the late 1920s or early 1930s. The jar was fired to a glassy black coloration. It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Marie + Julian”. It is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair but some rough areas near the base.
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Martinez, Maria (1887-1980)
Maria Martinez (1887-1980)
Maria Martinez is undoubtedly one of the best-known and most influential Native potters of the 1900s. She became famous for her creative pottery and traveling to museums, World Fairs, and other events throughout her lifetime.
Maria learned to make pottery from her aunt Nicolasa Montoya. Around 1919-1920, Maria and her husband, Julian Martinez, created the "black-on-black" style of pottery. This unique process allowed matte designs to be painted on a stone-polished surface, a stone-polished piece fired black. At the time, this unique and distinctive style of pottery quickly became a success, and by 1922, it was made by nearly every potter at San Ildefonso Pueblo. It helped to change the economy of Pueblo as pottery became a successful career.
Maria worked with Julian until he died in 1943. She then worked with her daughter-in-law, Santana, who married her eldest son, Adam. Again, she made the pottery, and Santana painted the designs. In the 1950s, Maria made plain pieces and signed them with her Tewa name, "Pove-ka," which means "Water Lilly."
In 1956, Maria started working with her son, Popovi Da. Maria made the pottery, and Popovi painted the designs. These are often considered among the best of her career after her early work with Julian. Popovi Da worked to revive polychrome pottery, created the sienna (double-fired) coloration, and made redware vessels. Maria also made a few pieces with her grandson, Tony Da, whom she taught to make pottery. Tony was one of the first male potters at San Ildefonso and had an exceptional career in ceramics and paintings. He was the subject of a book, "The Art and Life of Tony Da" by Charles S. King and Richard Spivey.
Maria Martinez was the subject of several books during her career. Alice Marriot wrote the book "Maria: The Potter of San Ildefonso" in 1948. Richard Spivey also wrote a book on her entitled "Maria." Both were essential additions to the collector's knowledge of this vital potter. Maria was also the subject of numerous museum exhibitions. Her pottery can be found around the world in various permanent museum collections.
Today, Maria's descendants include Barbara Gonzales, Cavan Gonzales, and Marvin Martinez, who all continue to make traditional San Ildefonso pottery. In addition, Jarrod Da is known for his modernist paintings.
Martinez, Maria (1887-1980), Signature "Marie + Julian", 1925-1943
