This is an unsual polychrome plate by Maria Martinez and her son, Popovi Da. Maria made the plate and it was painted and fired by Popovi Da.  Popovi focused on both the painted surfaces of the pottery as well as the firings.  The piece is painted with a double cloud design around the rim.  While he is famous for his black and redware pottery, his polychrome is among the rarest of his pottery styles.  

“Po began experimenting in 1956 with Polychrome ware, a pottery type that had been almost totally abandoned just after 1925 with the introduction and instant popularity of Black-on-black ware.  He entered his first perfect Polychrome piece at the Gallup Ceremonial in 1957 and won Best in Class.” “Maria Poveka Martinez'”, Richard Spivey 2003

This plate has a complicated design on the front with a seed and rain design.  The plate is painted with red and black clay slips on a matte background. The back is matte red.  It is signed, “Maria / Popovi 866”.  This dates it from August 1966.  The plate is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.   Definitely a piece of history in clay! 

Maria Martinez Signatures