Dimensions: 8” d x 4.5” h.
Artist: Carlos Sunrise Dunlap (1958–1981)
Pueblo Affiliation: San Ildefonso Pueblo
Object Type: Bowl
Color / Finish: Polychrome (Cream, Red, and Black)
Production Method: 100% Handmade
Construction Technique: Traditional Hand-Coiled, Hand-Painted
Firing Process: Traditional Native Pit-Fired
Approximate Date: c. 1970s
Signature / Markings: Signed "Carlos Sunrise" on the base
Condition Report: Excellent vintage condition with light, age-appropriate surface wear. No chips, cracks, or repairs.
This rare polychrome bowl features a hand-painted geometric exterior executed with precise red and black decoration over a smooth cream background. The structured grid-like patterns and stark linear divisions represent Dunlap’s definitive move toward modernism, similar to the style of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, creating a timeless modern aesthetic. The innovative composition offers a detailed hint at the directional shifts his future work may have taken had his career not been cut short in 1981.
Carlos Sunrise Dunlap (1958–1981) was a legendary pottery prodigy from San Ildefonso Pueblo whose highly influential career was tragically cut short at the age of twenty-three. The son of master potter Carmelita Dunlap and great-nephew of Maria Martinez, Carlos was revered for his ability to construct monumental hand-coiled vessels and flawless polychrome works. He is historically significant for helping lead a major twentieth-century revival of pre-1900 San Ildefonso multi-colored polychrome ware and pioneering a unique, rich "Sunrise Brown" finish. Due to his brief lifespan, his spectacularly painted pieces are exceptionally rare on the secondary market and highly coveted by elite museums and private collectors globally. See Carlos Sunrise Dunlap’s full biograhpy.
Dimensions: 8” d x 4.5” h.
Artist: Carlos Sunrise Dunlap (1958–1981)
Pueblo Affiliation: San Ildefonso Pueblo
Object Type: Bowl
Color / Finish: Polychrome (Cream, Red, and Black)
Production Method: 100% Handmade
Construction Technique: Traditional Hand-Coiled, Hand-Painted
Firing Process: Traditional Native Pit-Fired
Approximate Date: c. 1970s
Signature / Markings: Signed "Carlos Sunrise" on the base
Condition Report: Excellent vintage condition with light, age-appropriate surface wear. No chips, cracks, or repairs.
This rare polychrome bowl features a hand-painted geometric exterior executed with precise red and black decoration over a smooth cream background. The structured grid-like patterns and stark linear divisions represent Dunlap’s definitive move toward modernism, similar to the style of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, creating a timeless modern aesthetic. The innovative composition offers a detailed hint at the directional shifts his future work may have taken had his career not been cut short in 1981.
Carlos Sunrise Dunlap (1958–1981) was a legendary pottery prodigy from San Ildefonso Pueblo whose highly influential career was tragically cut short at the age of twenty-three. The son of master potter Carmelita Dunlap and great-nephew of Maria Martinez, Carlos was revered for his ability to construct monumental hand-coiled vessels and flawless polychrome works. He is historically significant for helping lead a major twentieth-century revival of pre-1900 San Ildefonso multi-colored polychrome ware and pioneering a unique, rich "Sunrise Brown" finish. Due to his brief lifespan, his spectacularly painted pieces are exceptionally rare on the secondary market and highly coveted by elite museums and private collectors globally. See Carlos Sunrise Dunlap’s full biograhpy.
