Large Black-on-black Plate signed Marie - Julian

This large Black-on-black pottery plate was made by Maria Martinez and beautiful designs were applied by Julian Martinez around 1927. Maria made this in the depth of a shallow bowl which elevates the design so that it is more visible for viewing. It's subtle things like this that make the manufacture of pueblo pottery an art form. Thought is always given when making pottery as to the display of the design. Additionally, a shallow shape fires safer than a flat shape. A flat tile of this size would most likely crack during the manufacture whereas the shallow bowl is stronger during drying and firing.

Julian's design is a combination of the well-known feathers supplemented with a bold triangular design radiating from the center circle. In these early feather designs, Julian outlined them in matte slip in a wide pattern. Later, he thinned the feathers. Julian was the first to apply this Mimbres feather design to the pottery of Maria. It has become a favorite design of collectors. Painting such a design freehand approaches the impossible — impossible to keep the width of each feather equal, impossible to have the layout come to an end consistent with the beginning, and impossible not to smear the matte pigment during the application. Julian was excellent in overcoming these impossibilities.

Maria Martinez was the matriarch of San Ildefonso pottery, and her pieces never fail to enchant. She made pottery for the better part of a century and collaborated with many of her talented family members. Stories float between biographies and individuals surrounding Maria's skills and generosity of heart. It is easy to imagine enjoying the process of either learning from her or working with her.

Julián Martinez (1885-1943) Pocano - Coming of the Spirits, a gifted painter, played a pivotal role in the revival of Pueblo pottery alongside his wife, Maria Montoya Poveka Martinez (1887-1980) Pond Lily. Together, they revolutionized Native American ceramics by reintroducing the Black-on-black technique, in which a matte design is painted over a polished surface and then fired in a reduction atmosphere to produce a deep, lustrous black finish.

The wide feather design seen here is inspired by motifs found on ancient Mimbres pottery. Julian adapted these ancestral forms to contemporary pottery, carefully interpreting and modernizing them without losing their symbolic resonance. His innovative eye, paired with Maria's flawless forming and polishing, produced works that elevated Pueblo pottery to fine art and brought international recognition to San Ildefonso traditions.

This plate stands as a superb example of their early collaborative work — both a technical achievement and a cultural legacy.

Condition: excellent original condition

Provenance: this Large Black-on-black Plate signed Marie - Julian is from the estate of a client to whom we sold this in 1999.

Reference and Recommended Reading:

- The Living Tradition of Maria Martinez by Susan Peterson

- The Legacy of Maria Poveka Martinez by Richard L. Spivey.

TAGS: Pueblo Pottery, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Popovi Da, Santana and Adam Martinez, Julian Martinez, Maria Martinez