Helen Cordero Mother Turtle Figurine with Three Boys and a Dog [SOLD]

This exquisite figurine by Helen Cordero (1915-1994) is more than a piece of pottery; it is a three-dimensional retelling of a beloved Cochiti Pueblo legend. It depicts "Mother Turtle", the protector who emerges to rescue children during times of danger, flood, or turmoil.

While Cordero created several Mother Turtle figures throughout her storied career, no two are identical. Each is a unique "family" captured in clay, characterized by the distinct personalities and clothing of the children she carries. This appears to be one of Cordero's early figurines as it was so carefully rendered in scale and finish. 

This figurine features three children, each reacting to their journey with a different emotion. One boy sits perched on the turtle's neck, clutching her head with a look of pure excitement. Two boys and a dog ride securely on the shell, seated atop a meticulously painted Navajo "Sunday saddle blanket": One has his hand clasped and is looking off to the side, Behind him sits another boy clutching the shoulders of the front boy. Behind both boys sits their faithful dog companion casually looking off to the side. In a touching detail, Mother Turtle has her head turned back, checking on her passengers to ensure everyone is safe.

The Legacy of Helen Cordero

Helen Cordero is widely credited with inventing the "Storyteller" motif in 1964, revolutionizing contemporary Pueblo pottery. She lived her entire life at Cochiti Pueblo, married to the artist and Governor Fred Cordero, and her work is now held in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian and the Heard Museum. The figurine is signed on the underside Helen Cordero, Cochiti NMex.

Condition: this Helen Cordero Mother Turtle Figurine with Three Boys and a Dog is in excellent condition

Provenance: this figurine was purchased from Marti Streuver, Santa Fe dealer, in 2024. It is now consigned from an Adobe Gallery client from California

Reference and Recommended Reading: The Pueblo Storyteller - Development of a Figurative Ceramic Tradition by Barbara Babcock

TAGS: storyteller figurine, pottery, Cochiti Pueblo, Antonita "Toni" Suina, Buffy Cordero, Tim Cordero, Evon Trujillo, Helen Cordero