Jemez Pueblo Storyteller Mudhead Doll Pottery By Janet H. Fragua

Late 20th Century

6" H x 4.5" L x 3.125" W

Hand Crafted from Clay of a Seated Mudhead Adult Holding 3 Mudhead Children Signed Janet H. Fragua Jemez

In Very Good Condition

Janeth Fragua (born 1964) is a member of the Fragua family, a well-known dynasty of Jemez Pueblo potters. She began making pottery in 1984 and is recognized for her storytellers, koshares (clown figures), friendship bowls, and other figurative works. Her pieces are typically made from local Pueblo clay, hand-built (often coiled), modeled, painted with natural or commercial pigments, and left unglazed for an authentic matte finish. She signs her work as "Janeth Fragua, Jemez, Walatowa" or similar variations. 

The Fragua family has a strong tradition in both human and whimsical storyteller figures, including Mudhead (Koshare or Koyala-inspired) designs. Mudheads are sacred clown/kachina figures in Pueblo culture, often depicted with rounded, mud-covered heads, expressive faces, and sometimes playful or teaching roles. A Mudhead storyteller combines the storytelling motif with these clown elements—frequently showing a Mudhead figure with one or more "children" emerging or attached.