Lupita Martinez was known for her highly polished and beautifully painted pottery.  She was also one of the last surviving early San Ildefonso potters.  Lupita was married to Anselmo Martinez and was a daughter of Santana Vigil. Her aunt was Isabel Atencio and her grandmother was Nicolasa Montoya, who taught Maria Martinez to make pottery. Lupita was known for her highly polished black-on-black pottery, typically with classic designs and shapes. This jar is a classic style water jar with a sharp shoulder and sloping neck.  The entire piece is fully polished and the jar was fired to a glassy black.  The jar is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.  It is signed, “Lupita Martinez” on the bottom in the clay.