Acoma Pueblo Early Jar by Juana Leno [SOLD]

I was not aware, until this Acoma jar arrived at the gallery, that Juana Leno had attended the Albuquerque Indian School.  I do not know exactly what year she enrolled and what year she may have left the school, but it is reasonable to think that she enrolled at the age of 15 or 16 years, which would have been around 1932 or 1933.  At that time, she was Juana Louis Vallo.  If she enrolled in 1933 as a freshman in high school, she would have graduated around 1937 at age 20. 

This Acoma jar has a notation on the underside Made in Albuquerque Indian School, a notation which was fired into the jar at the time it was made. In addition, written in ink after firing, is Made by Juana Louis $4.00, with the number 392.  This would suggest a date of 1939 when the jar was made and that date coincides with the date listed in Schaaf (see reference below) of her being an active potter from 1937 onward.  This jar could easily be one of the very first jars made by Juana Leno to be for sale and was probably sold at the Albuquerque Indian School at that time, perhaps at an Indian School fair.  University of Arizona professor Barbara Babcock called Juana “one of Acoma’s master potters who began as a child in the 1920s.” Schaaf 2002

If Juana started learning the intricacies of pottery making in the late 1920s, then she had 10 years of practice by 1937 when it is speculated that this jar was made.  This would account for this one being such a well-made jar, which it truly is.  The construction is that of a good potter and the painted design also reflects some years of practice.  Overall, the jar is well above what one would expect of a high school student, even one with 10 years of practice.

For anyone interested in Indian School Student Art (Santa Fe or Albuqueruqe) or anyone interested in the pottery of Juana Leno, this is a must for that collection.  It was well made and well documented.

Condition:  very good condition

Reference: Southern Pueblo Pottery, 2,000 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf

Provenance: from a gentleman in Albuquerque