This is an early red water jar by Rose Gonzales.  She is often considered the first at San Ildefonso Pueblo to make carved pottery beginning in the 1930s. However, over the course of her career, she created a variety of styles, including plainware and painted and carved pottery.  This jar is her signature shape with a sharp shoulder and sloping side. The shoulder provides the space for her cameo-style carving.  There are rain, cloud, and lightning designs carved in her classic cameo style using the negative space of the jar.  The background area is matte.  We know this is from the 1930s, as the color of the clay is a deep red and later pieces were more of an “orange-red” coloration.  This is the red clay seen in the 1920-40 period of San Ildefonso carved and red-on-red pottery.  The jar is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration, or repair.  It is signed, “Rose” on the bottom.