New Mexico Art Tells its History

Jar with Avanyu

Jar with Avanyu, circa 1919 - 1920
Maria Martinez and Julian Martinez (American, San Ildefonso, circa 1880s – 1980
American, San Ildefonso, 1879 - 1943)
fired matte-on-black naturally occurring clays, 9 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. (24.1 x 31.8 cm)
Gift of the artists, 1940. Museum of Indian Arts and Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology
#19414

Maria Martinez was born Maria Antonia Montoya in San Ildefonso Pueblo and married Julian Martinez in 1904. The technique they developed, to have both matte and glossy finishes on her black pottery, made them world famous. They demonstrated pottery making at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 and at the San Diego World's Fair in 1915. They received the Best of Show at the Century of Progress at the Chicago World's Fair in 1933, and were invited to the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt. After Julian's death in 1943, Maria started to work with her daughter-in-law, Santana. After 1956 she also worked with her son Popovi Da and her grandson, Tony Da, who continued to make major innovations in pottery making and design.

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