Damacia Cordero Figurine of a Seated Mother with a Child in a Cradleboard [SOLD]

This piece is a classic polychrome storyteller figurine by Damacia Cordero (1905-1989) of Cochiti Pueblo. It features a seated female figure cradling a child strapped into a traditional cradleboard.

Damacia's work is instantly recognizable for its archaizing, sculptural proportions. The torso is tall and straight, and the profile shows her signature long, sweeping nose that flows directly down from the hairline. The ears are exaggerated and wing-like, a prominent hallmark of her figurative style. In keeping with her distinctive approach, the arms of the adult figure and the body of the child in the cradleboard are minimally modeled with smooth, simplified planes.

The figurine was painted using traditional Cochiti natural slip, wild spinach black plant pigment, and red iron clay. A bold black geometric band accents her waist, with stylized rain/cloud motifs painted above her chest. The underside displays her handwritten signature, Damacia Cordero, applied over an orange-red slip ground.

Damacia Cordero began making pottery in the 1920s and was producing Singing Mother figures as early as the 1950s — well before Helen Cordero formalized the modern "storyteller" genre in 1964. Rather than adopting the open-mouthed, multi-child style that gained popularity in the 1970s, Damacia maintained her link to older Cochiti figurative traditions, making her pieces highly sought for their archaic charm and direct connection to mid-century Pueblo folk art. She passed her traditional techniques on to her daughters, including Martha Arquero and Josephine Arquero.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Damacia Cordero Figurine of a Seated Mother with a Child in a Cradleboard is from the collection of a client from California

Recommended Reading and Reference:  Southern Pueblo Pottery: 2,000 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.

TAGS: Cochiti Pueblo, Pottery Figurines, Dorothy Trujillo, Damacia Cordero