San Felipe Pueblo Polychrome Bowl with Handles [SOLD]

San Felipe Pueblo lies along the Rio Grande between Santa Fe and Albuquerque close to two other Keres language speaking pueblos—Cochiti and Kewa (Santo Domingo).  Although of the same language group, the pottery of San Felipe was not similar to that from its neighbors.  The San Felipe Indians are descendant from ancestral homes in the cliffs of the Jemez Mountains where traditionally the pottery was painted with glazing materials.

After the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, and the re-conquest by De Vargas in 1692, things changed for many of the pueblos.  Populations were uprooted and moved about and intermingled from the chaos.  San Felipe Pueblo ceased entirely making decorated pottery.  It was not until the 20th century when that was revived.  A lone potter—Candelaria Montana—revived painted pottery production at the pueblo possibly as early as the 1950s.  It is not known what she used as guidance for designs since there were none to use as models.  Following her death around 1985, no other potter followed in her pursuits.

Interestingly, traditional San Felipe pottery was closer in style to that of Santa Ana Pueblo with river-washed sand for temper.  The revival pottery by Montana did not appear to use sand for temper, but possibly used basalt similar to that used at Zia Pueblo. 

This bowl has to be the work of Candelaria Montana as no other potter is known to have made pottery at San Felipe at the time.  The workmanship is very similar to that on other pottery known to have been made by her and the designs are typical of hers.

Condition: very good condition with some pitting and abrasion of the clay.

Provenance: from the collection of John W. Barry, author of American Indian Pottery, 1984.

Recommended Reading:  Modern Pueblo Pottery 1880-1960 by Francis H. Harlow