San Ildefonso Pueblo Polished Black Lidded Pottery Jar by Anita Martinez

This small, polished San Ildefonso Pueblo black polished jar with a lid was made by award winning artist Anita Martinez. She consistently won awards at the Santa Fe Indian Market and was featured in several exhibitions as early as 1974.  Anita Martinez was a daughter of Santana and Adam Martinez and the mother of Barbara Gonzales and Kathy Pino, both of whom are potters of note.

Most of the pottery we have had in the past made by Anita (ca.1920s-1992) has been plain polished black without decoration, like this one.  Apparently, she did not paint her pottery out of preference or for lack of ability. At any rate, it appears to be her style.  

Lidded jars are not often made by potters as the lid must be made to fit properly and that sometimes is difficult to judge in that there might be some change in the firing that would make the two pieces not fit properly.  Anita seems to have perfected the process as we have had several of her lidded jars and they have always fit properly.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this San Ildefonso Pueblo Polished Black Lidded Pottery Jar by Anita Martinez is from the collection of a gentleman from Illinois. 

Recommended Reading: Pueblo Indian Pottery: 750 Artist Biographies, C. 1800-Present by Gregory and Angie Schaaf

TAGS: San Ildefonso Pueblo, Santana and Adam Martinez, Contemporary Southwest Indian Pottery, Anita Martinez