This is a unique sienna bowl by Maria Martinez and her son, Popovi Da. Maria made and polished the bowl while it was painted by her son, Popovi Da  (1923-1971). The bowl is highly polished and has an avanyu (water serpent) as the main design.  It is unusual, however, as the sienna coloration is some of the rarest of the various colorations which Popovi Da created.   To achieve this coloration, the piece is first fired black and then it is re-fired a second time to burn off the black and create the sienna, or camel coloration.  This increases the risk of it breaking in the firing.  Today, there are almost no potters who are double firing their entire piece to create the sienna coloration!  It is signed on the bottom in the clay, “Maria Popovi 670“. The signature indicates that it was made around in June, 1970.   The bowl is in very good condition with no chips, cracks, restoration or repair.

To learn more about Maria’s signatures, click here.