San Ildefonso Pottery

San Ildefonso Pueblo is located approximately 20 miles north of Santa Fe, New Mexico. San Ildefonso pottery and Santa Clara pottery share much of the same characteristics with only minor differences in evolution and execution. San Ildefonso potters make polychrome red and buff ware, incised red and black ware and two tone buff and black ware. Maria Martinez (1888- 1980) and her husband Julian (1885- 1943) are credited with originating a matte decoration over polished black ware around 1920, which has become the iconic style of San Ildefonso. Innovation and experimentation continued however and Maria's nephew Albert and his wife Josephine Cordova are credited with innovating white on red ware pottery from San Ildefonso. Rose Gonzales and her son Tse Pe were also innovators and Tse Pe along with his first wife Dora originated stone inlay into their pieces.