This wonderful jar is stone-polished with a crackled slip and precisely molded and decorated. The pleasing Tunyo vase form has been resurrected from the past, replacing the more bulbous form of the late 19th century. Through art history techniques, we know this unsigned olla was a joint product, molded by Maximilliana, the older sister of Maria Martinez, and painted by her husband, Crescencio. It has been suggested that the San Ildefonso potters created this style to compete with the overwhelming popularity of Acoma polychrome style. Published in Native America: Arts, Tradition, and Celebrations, Christine Mather, 1990, p.50.