Twelve Piece Nacimiento from Isleta Pueblo [SOLD]

This nacimiento (nativity scene) consists of twelve individual pottery figurines.  There is the three-piece Holy Family—Jesús, Mary and Joseph. Baby Jesús is wrapped in a blanket with his head resting on a pillow.  Mary is resting on a log and wears a finely decorated blanket, a painted turquoise necklace, traditional pueblo moccasins, and has her hair tied in a *chonga in the back. Joseph is standing, wrapped in a blanket, has a painted coral choker and has his hair hanging loose in back.

The Three Kings are dressed in traditional pueblo clothing.  One is wrapped in a blanket and carries a small blanket as a gift for the baby.  Another king has a blanket draped over his head and is holding a pair of moccasins for the baby.  The third king is holding a basket with four ears of corn as a gift for the baby. All three kings wear painted-on coral chokers.

The animals include a donkey with his eyes wide open; a cow with his eyes closed tightly; a mountain sheep with beautiful curved horns; a sheep lying down and one standing; and, unique to nacimientos by Stella Teller, a full-grown pig.  No other potter includes a pig in her sets.

This is a new set just delivered to us by Stella Teller of Isleta Pueblo.  According to Stella, the king carrying the ears of corn should always be the front one of the three because corn is the most important gift (as seen in the image above).  The figures are painted in a soft beige color with parts stone polished and parts left in the matte state. The animals that are white were stone polished.

Condition: this Twelve Piece Nacimiento from Isleta Pueblo is new

Provenance: from the artist

Recommended Reading: Nacimientos - Nativity Scenes by Southwest Indian Artisans by Guy and Doris Monthan

*Chongo - Chonga: Pueblo and Navajo hair style where the hair is tied in the back of the head in a bun.  Male = chongo, female = chonga.