Origins & Early Life

Maria Poveka Montoya Martinez (c. 1887 – July 20, 1980) was a Pueblo Native American artist who created internationally known pottery. Martinez (born Maria Poveka Montoya), her husband Julian, and other family members, including her son Popovi Da, examined traditional Pueblo pottery styles and techniques to create pieces which reflect the Pueblo people's legacy of fine artwork and crafts. The works of Maria Martinez, and especially her black ware pottery, are in the collections of many museums, including the Smithsonian, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Denver Art Museum, and more.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Penn Museum in Philadelphia holds eight vessels – three plates and five jars – signed either "Marie" or "Marie & Julian". Maria Martinez was from the San Ildefonso Pueblo, a community located 20 miles northwest of Santa Fe, New Mexico. At an early age, she learned pottery skills from her aunt and recalls this "learning by seeing" starting at age eleven, as she watched her aunt, grandmother, and father's cousin work on their pottery during the 1890s. During this time, Spanish tinware and Anglo enamelware had become readily available in the Southwestern United States, making the creation of traditional...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexander Borodin — Contemporary (Died in 1887) (1887): Russian Romantic composer, chemist, and physician known for 'Prince Igor' and symphonies.
• Alvin Hansen — Contemporary (Born in 1887) (1887): Influential American economist, known as "the American Keynes" for popularizing Keynesian theory.
• Arthur Percival — Contemporary (Born in 1887) (1887): British Army officer, known for commanding forces during the Malayan Campaign and the fall of Singapore.
• Abby Wambach — Contemporary (Born in 1980) (1980): Iconic American soccer forward, celebrated for her goal-scoring prowess and longevity.
• Adande Thorne — Contemporary (Born in 1980) (1980): Trinidadian-American YouTuber, animator, comedian, and actor known as Swoozie.
• Alejo Carpentier — Contemporary (Died in 1980) (1980): Influential Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist of the Latin American Boom.
• Adam Ferguson — Shared historical date (06-20 · Born) (1723): Scottish philosopher, historian, and 'father of modern sociology'.
• Amos Tutuola — Shared historical date (06-20 · Born) (1920): Pioneering Nigerian author blending Yoruba folklore with modern literary forms.
• Arthur Rubinstein — Historical peer (Born in 1887) (1887): Master Polish and American pianist, celebrated for his interpretations of Chopin and classical repertoire.
• August Macke — Historical peer (Born in 1887) (1887): German Expressionist painter, key member of Der Blaue Reiter.
• 1887 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1887
• 1980 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1980
• June 20 (06-20) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on June 20