Josephine Arquero Cochiti Pueblo Polychrome Six Piece Nacimiento [SOLD]

This six-piece nacimiento by Josephine Arquero of Cochiti Pueblo very much showcases her artistic caliber and style.  Joseph kneels with a textile draped over crossed arms, eyes closed, and mouth open in joy next to his partner.  Mary is also kneeling but is experiencing a more somber facial expression, with eyes and mouth open in song or prayer over baby Jesus.  She is donned in a striped black and red head shawl and wears a squash blossom necklace.  Both figures are decorated with cream slips and black and red pigments. 

An angel or holy person attends the scene, adorned more simply than the other two in only black and cream with a cross necklace.  She, like Mary, has a more serious look upon her face and is blessing the event with eyes and mouth open, hands drawn before her in prayer.  

A jovial donkey is simply made, bi-chrome and smiling.  All surround infant Jesus, who is removable from his bed.  Jesus is lying, eyes closed, and arms extended reaching out towards the sky in a bed decorated with geometrics and resembling a beautiful Cochiti bowl.  Each adult figurine is signed, Josephine Arquero, Cochiti NM.

Cochiti Pueblo artist Josephine Arquero specialized in figurative pottery—mostly storytellers, nacimientos, and animals. She dressed her human figures in traditional pueblo clothing.

Josephine Arquero (1928-2019) was the daughter of Damacia Cordero and was taught the art of pottery figurine construction by her mother. Josephine's figurines do not resemble those of her mother's but have a character of their own. She was the sister to Martha Arquero, Marie Laweka, and Gloria Herrera, all of whom are recognized potters.

Condition: very good

Provenance: This Josephine Arquero Cochiti Pueblo Polychrome Six Piece Nacimiento is from the personal collection of a family who reside in New Mexico. 

Recommended Reading: Clay Mirror From Monos to Storytellers: Reflections from Cochiti Pueblo

Relative Links: Cochiti Pueblo, storyteller figurines, Josephine Arquero