Black-on-black Jar signed Marie, dated 1930 [SOLD]

Maria Martinez (1887-1980) and Julian Martinez (1885-1943 source: Richard Spivey) worked together producing pottery from the early 1900s—she making the beautiful Tewa shape vessels and he painting beautiful designs in traditional polychrome style. Because Maria was considered the most skilled potter at the pueblo at that time, it was she who was selected to experiment in re-producing the early blackware that was being excavated at nearby ruins.

Maria and Julian began experimenting in the blackware and produced the first pieces in 1918. They had pretty well perfected the technique within a couple years. By the early 1920s, production was well underway with the Museum of New Mexico purchasing all the early pieces. By 1923, Maria was signing her name to her work. At first, she signed simply Marie, not to give full credit to herself, but because tradition dictated it. Pottery production was woman’s work, so her name was all that appeared, even though Julian contributed to the pieces. It was not until around 1925 that Julian’s name began to appear—the justification being that he was an artist painting a design, and not doing woman’s work of making pottery. In addition to painting designs on Maria’s pottery, Julian helped in digging and working the clay, and in firing the finished pieces.

Julian apparently saw a photograph of a Mimbres Black-on-white bowl that had a beautiful feather design encircling the entire circumference of the bowl. Looking at a two-dimensional photograph of the inside of the bowl, it appeared to him that the pottery piece displaying this design was flat or nearly so. Based on his evaluation, Maria then made what we refer to today as plates (rather than a deep bowl) and he painted the feather design on them. He also painted the design on jars, such as this one.

The earlier feathers painted by Julian were wide as were the ones on the Mimbres bowl. Later, he started making narrower feathers. This jar, based on the signature Marie and on the wide feathers would probably date to circa 1920s, however it is actually dated 1930. The jar is in very good condition. There is no structural damage or any significant scratches.

COMMENTS: Some experts have contended that smothering pottery during the firing process creates a carbon smoke that penetrates the pottery, turning it black. Even though several books describing black pueblo pottery attribute the color change to carbon, the reduction of iron oxide is the correct mechanism. Ceramicists, describing ancient styles of Old World pottery, state that iron impurities in clay form red oxide at red heat, but if air is lacking during firing, iron impurities in clay form black magnetite.