Maria Martinez

San Ildefonso Pueblo · artists

Maria Martinez (1887-1980) was a San Ildefonso Pueblo potter who is arguably the most famous Native American artist in history. She and her husband Julian developed the distinctive black-on-black pottery style that became iconic in Native American art.

Her work revolutionized the market for Native American pottery and she trained multiple generations of Pueblo potters. Her pieces command prices in the tens of thousands.