San Ildefonso Pueblo Pottery Jar By Josephine Cordova Vigil

ca. 1940

6.25" H x 7" D

Hand Coiled Tan on Red Feather Motif Design Jar Signed JC Vigil San Ildefonso

In Very Good Condition

Josephine Cordova Vigil (1927–2001), who formed the pottery body, often in collaboration with her husband Albert Vigil (1927–2009), who typically painted the designs.

Josephine Cordova Vigil was originally from Taos Pueblo. She moved to San Ildefonso after marrying Albert and learned traditional hand-coiling and stone-polishing techniques by observing and working with Albert's aunts, the renowned potters Maria Martinez and Clara Montoya.

Albert Vigil was a nephew of Maria Martinez and son of the painter Romando Vigil (Tse Ye Mu). Maria encouraged the couple to focus on redware traditions. They began producing pottery together around 1945 and continued throughout their married life.

Their work is known for high-quality traditional methods: hand-coiled clay, stone-polished red slip, and matte-painted designs (often in a creamy tan/buff color) over the polished red background. Common motifs include feather bands (inspired by Julian Martinez's eagle feather designs), geometrics, and occasionally avanyu (water serpent) figures.