Santa Clara Pueblo 8 Piece Nacimiento [SOLD]

Martha Mirabal is the daughter of Maria I. Naranjo of Santa Clara Pueblo.  Maria was best known for her highly polished blackware figurines.  Martha continues the tradition of making blackware pottery bowls and figures.  Her figures tend to be small and very well formed with a highly polished surface. 

This nacimiento is hand-formed, stone-polished, and reduction fired (a firing process that turns the clay black).  It consists of a kneeling Mary and Joseph, the Christ Child wrapped in a blanket and lying in a separate manger, a donkey, lamb and cow.  The nacimiento sits under a shelter made of cut twigs mounted on a wood round.  All of the clay pieces have polished bodies and matte faces with eyes.  Under the male figure it is signed Martha Mirabal and under the female figure it is signed Santa Clara Pueblo.  This would be the perfect set for displaying on a small table.

Condition:  very good condition.

Provenance:  from a Santa Fe collector.

Recommended Reading:  Nacimientos by Guy and Doris Monthan