San Ildefonso Black-on-black Dish with Avanyu signed Maria Polveka

There is always intrigue when working with Pueblo pottery-where did it come from, who made it, how old is it? In modern pueblo pottery, the answers are usually easy to come by. For example, black pottery with a high burnish is usually from San Ildefonso and Santa Clara Pueblos. If from either Pueblos, it usually bears the name of the potter on the underside. If it was made by Maria Martinez, there would be one of several signatures-Marie, the oldest signature, appears on pottery made by Maria and painted designs applied by Julian during 1923-1924. After 1924, Julian's name was added to their works. After Julian died in 1943, Maria's daughter-in-law, Santana, stepped in to assist Maria and those works were cosigned. Maria also made plain highly polished pottery with no design applied by anyone, and those were signed Maria Polveka. In the late 1950s, Maria's son Popovi Da replaced Santana as Maria's assistant, and those are also cosigned and sometimes dated.

There are always exceptions to those standards. This Black-on-black dish we are posting has an exquisitely painted Avanyu design of the quality of painting from the hands of Popovi Da. One would expect to see it cosigned by Maria and Popovi, however, it bears the single signature Maria Poveka, a signature known only on pottery void of decorations.

What might be the explanation for the discrepancy? Most likely, Maria finished polishing the dish, and signed Maria Poveka. Popovi likely picked up the dish and applied the design without looking on the back side to see Maria's name. There is little doubt that the design was applied by Popovi as it is like other examples of his painting. It is precise in line and detail. This certainly is a unique Maria/Popovi Da collaboration even though it is only signed Maria Poveka.

Condition: excellent condition

Provenance: this San Ildefonso Black-on-black Dish with Avanyu signed Maria Polveka is from the collection of an Adobe Gallery client

Reference and Recommended Reading:

- The Living Tradition of Maria Martinez by Susan Peterson

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

TAGS: Julian Martinez, Mimbres, Maria, pottery, Santana, Southwest Indian Pottery, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Contemporary Pottery