Olla c. 1900 - 1910

pigment, ceramic

pigment

egg art

ceramic

jewelry design

culinary art

food illustration

stoneware

ceramic

united-states

food art

earthenware

watercolour illustration

cartoon theme

This ceramic olla, crafted by the renowned Pueblo artist Martina Vigil Montoya around the turn of the 20th century, is a striking example of the traditional Southwestern pottery style. The olla, a large earthenware vessel used for storing water and other liquids, showcases Montoya's mastery of the polychrome technique, characterized by the application of multiple colors, in this case, black, red, and white, onto a smooth, cream-colored clay. The intricate geometric patterns and stylized floral motifs decorating the olla are deeply rooted in the rich artistic heritage of the Pueblo people, reflecting their deep connection to the land and the enduring cultural traditions of their ancestors.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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Pottery making at Po-woh-ge-oweenge (San Ildefonso Pueblo) was impacted in different ways than at Haaku (Acoma). When the Santa Fe Trail was opened in 1821, enamelware and metal containers became available, causing the production of pottery to decline. Even so, there still remained a few potters who were producing various types of pottery. Two of these potters were a husband and wife team named Martina and Florentino Montoya. Their signature innovation was the extension of the white slip over the entire surface, including the underbody and concave base. The Montoya's had close ties to the Kotyit (Cochiti Pueblo) and are credited with introducing the "Cochiti slip" to Po-woh-ge-oweenge. This slip can be quickly polished with a rag and was preferred over the native slip, which required tedious stone polishing.