The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 13, 2025

Bowl

c. 1948–49

Maria Martinez

(San Ildefonso Pueblo, about 1887–1980)

and Santana Roybal Martinez

(San Ildefonso Pueblo, 1909–2002)
America, New Mexico, San Ildefonso, 20th century
Ceramic, slip
Diameter: 23.1 cm (9 1/8 in.)
Gift in memory of Dr. Henry L. Tapp by his family, MaryLou, Carl, and Richard Tapp 1999.191
Location: Not on view

Description

Maria Martinez was one of the most distinguished Native American potters of the Southwest who worked at the San Ildefonso Pueblo in the first half of the 20th century. Firing in a reducing (low oxygen) atmosphere produces the black-on-black effect seen on this bowl. Maria Martinez and her husband Julián invented the black-on-black decoration technique around 1920; it was then adopted by many other potters at their pueblo.
  • Cleveland Museum of Art, “Mrs. Paul Wurzburger Donates Major Calder Mobile to Cleveland Museum of Art, Korean Painting, Japanese Ceramic, Italian Drawing and other Works Acquired” September 8, 1999, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives. archive.org
  • Gallery One 2012. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 12, 2012-March 5, 2017).
  • {{cite web|title=Bowl|url=false|author=Maria Martinez, Santana Roybal Martinez|year=c. 1948–49|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1999.191