Maria Martinez (ca. 1887–1980). Olla (Water Jar), ca. 1923. Ceramic, overall: 7 × 9 3/4 in. (17.8 × 24.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Graham and Megan Marks in memory of Barbara and Fred Marks, 2013.100.4. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 2013.100.4_PS9.jpg)
Maria Martinez (ca. 1887–1980). Olla (Water Jar), ca. 1923. Ceramic, overall: 7 × 9 3/4 in. (17.8 × 24.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Graham and Megan Marks in memory of Barbara and Fred Marks, 2013.100.4. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.2013.100.4.jpg)
Olla (Water Jar)
Arts of the Americas
Working in Po-Woh-Geh-Owingeh (San Ildefonso Pueblo), at the foot of the Black Mesa in north-central New Mexico, Maria Martínez invented a unique style of pottery featuring black-on-black designs, building on lessons learned from her maternal aunt’s use of clay.
Instead of a traditional potter’s wheel, Martínez adapted the bottom of an old plate or pot to form the base of the olla, utilizing hand-coiling techniques to build up its walls, a rounded piece of gourd to smooth its surface, stones to polish it, and finally, clay and boiled wild spinach plants to add designs before firing. Despite the lack of glazing, the burnished surface reflects light, throwing the matte abstract forms into subtle contrast.
Instead of a traditional potter’s wheel, Martínez adapted the bottom of an old plate or pot to form the base of the olla, utilizing hand-coiling techniques to build up its walls, a rounded piece of gourd to smooth its surface, stones to polish it, and finally, clay and boiled wild spinach plants to add designs before firing. Despite the lack of glazing, the burnished surface reflects light, throwing the matte abstract forms into subtle contrast.
MEDIUM
Ceramic
DATES
ca. 1923
DIMENSIONS
overall: 7 × 9 3/4 in. (17.8 × 24.8 cm) (show scale)
SIGNATURE
The base has the artist’s signature, “Marie”. The accession number is
painted in red with a clear barrier layer on the base.
COLLECTIONS
Arts of the Americas
ACCESSION NUMBER
2013.100.4
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Graham and Megan Marks in memory of Barbara and Fred Marks
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Maria Martinez (ca. 1887–1980). Olla (Water Jar), ca. 1923. Ceramic, overall: 7 × 9 3/4 in. (17.8 × 24.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Graham and Megan Marks in memory of Barbara and Fred Marks, 2013.100.4. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: , 2013.100.4_PS9.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 2013.100.4_PS9.jpg., 2019
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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