Circular Shallow Bowl

ca. 1943

Utilizing traditional hand-coiling techniques, vessel forms, and open-trench firing, Maria Martinez invented a unique style of pottery featuring black-on-black designs (as seen here), which had never been done before.

Martinez began potting to provide income for her family, collaborating with her husband, Julian, and later her son, Popovi Da, as painters. She eventually became world-famous, attracting visits from Japanese masters who wanted to learn her techniques. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., invited her to help with the dedication of New York’s Rockefeller Plaza in 1933.