Trinidad Medina Rare Zia Pueblo Jar with Indian School Cloud Design c.1935

The Masterful Hand of Trinidad Medina: A Zia Pueblo Polychrome Jar

This exquisite historic polychrome water jar, crafted by Trinidad Medina of Zia Pueblo, showcases her distinctive artistic voice. While the recognizable designs on its exterior are a hallmark of her work, another, less visible characteristic is equally significant: its unusually thin walls for a Zia piece. A beautiful patina enhances the jar's beauty and suggests a creation date of 1935. The olla's concave base bears Medina's fired-on signature: Trinidad Medina Zia.

Medina's Unique Technique

The renowned authors Francis H. Harlow and Dwight P. Lanmon, in their work The Pottery of Zia Pueblo, offer an insightful passage from potter Vicentita Pino that illuminates Medina's method:
"Pino explained that Trinidad Medina constructed her pots just as everyone else did (relatively quickly) but spent more time than any of the other Zia potters thinning them when they were in the leather-hard stage. For thinning, Vicentita Pino reported that she used tuna-fish cans, opened on both ends and cut open on the side, so that the sharp edge where the lid was attached could be used as a scraper." [288]

This meticulous thinning process is evident in this olla, which perfectly embodies why Medina's work is so highly regarded. The vessel is beautifully formed, with a gently rounded shoulder gracefully leading to a soft slope up to the rim. Its remarkable balance and aesthetic appeal are apparent from every angle.

Exceptional Design and Coloration

The designs on this olla are as exceptional as the vessel itself. Four Zia birds are the primary elements, artfully placed around the olla's exterior. These bird figures are extraordinary by pueblo pottery standards, demonstrating meticulous attention to detail and shading. A double rainbow on opposite sides of the jar frames and separates the four design panels. Two of these panels feature a single, exquisite Zia bird beneath rain clouds and a double rainbow.

The remaining two design panels present a striking black and red Zia bird enveloped by a cloud of unprecedented style-a billowing cloud reminiscent of early Santa Fe Indian School student paintings.

The jar's coloration and patina are also noteworthy. While the red, black, and cream tones are typical for Zia pottery, the specific pigments and their combined effect here are truly remarkable. Medina boldly outlined the red birds in black before filling their bodies with red pigment. The other pair of birds she painted with a unique combination of red and black pigments, a departure from the usual practice of other potters. The rich patina further enhances the beauty of the jar's form and vibrant coloration.

Trinidad Gachupin Medina: A Celebrated Artist

Trinidad Gachupin Medina (1883/1884-1969), also known as SRA'EITI', is a revered figure among collectors of historic pottery. Recognized during her lifetime as one of Zia Pueblo's greatest potters, she was instrumental in bringing wider attention to her craft. She participated in cross-country tours to demonstrate her pottery-making skills and received numerous prizes at the Santa Fe Indian Market. Her family legacy includes her sisters Geronima Gachupin Medina and Reyes Gachupin Moquino/Pino; her husband José de la Cruz Medina; her son San Juanito Medina; and her grandchildren Rafael Medina, José de La Cruz Medina, Anita Candelaria, Lena Medina, Carolina Medina, Ernest Medina, Patrick Medina, and Priscilla Medina.

As Harlow and Lanmon note: "Trinidad Medina was a diminutive person, standing just over 4 feet tall according to grandchildren and others who knew her. Nonetheless, she made some of the largest storage jars ever produced at Zia. They are also considered to be some of the finest. She received prizes and widespread recognition for her work, in part because the trader Wick Miller took her on road tours around the United States between 1930 and 1946. She demonstrated pottery making at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago in 1933 and possibly also at the San Francisco Golden Gate International Exhibition in 1939, where at least one of her large storage jars was shown." (Harlow & Lanmon, 2003:285)

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this Trinidad Medina Rare Zia Pueblo Jar with Indian School Cloud Design c.1935 is from the collection of a client of the gallery

Reference: Harlow, Francis H., and Dwight P. Lanmon. The Pottery of Zia Pueblo, SAR Press, Santa Fe, 2003.

TAGS: Reyes Gachupin Moquino/Pino, Rafael Medina, José del La Cruz Medina, Zia Pueblo, Historic Pueblo Pottery, Sofia Medina, Elizabeth Medina, Marcellus Medina, Trinidad Gachupin Medina