Martina Vigil and Florentino Montoya
(San Ildefonso, 1856-1916 / 1858-1918)
Polychrome Pottery Olla, ca 1910

height 12 inches x diameter 12 1/2 inches

Published:
Struever, Martha and Jonathan Batkin. Legends of Pueblo Pottery (1997: pg.15, fig. 3)



The following is the published description of this olla as written by Struever and Batkin.



Sometime around 1900, Martina and Florentino begun using the rag-wiped slip of Cochiti Pueblo, which does not require polishing with a stone, and it appears that they introduced its use to other potters of San Ildefonso. By 1910, almost all white-slipped pottery of San Ildefonso was finished with Cochiti slip. An example of Martina and Florentino's work from this later period (figure 3) shows yet another turn-of-the-century development in San Ildefonso pottery that might be attributable to them. This is the jar shape with a squat, flared base and tall neck, which was popular at neighboring Santa Clara Pueblo in the late 19th century. Beginning around 1900 this shape was adopted by San Ildefonso potters, and by 1910 it has begun to supplant the spherical shape which had been predominant since the late 18th or early 19th century. Martina and Florentino were among the first potters to make jars of this new shape. (Struever and Batkin 1997: pg. 14-15, fig. 3)




The Mark and Linda Miller Collection

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