Description
This ceramic figurine—in the style of Tlatilco, an early village site in central Mexico—depicts a female with an enigmatic motif incised on the back of her head and substantial traces of red and white pigment. Since many figurines from the period depict females, modern interpreters usually connect them to fertility concerns. They also seem to testify to the importance of women among early Mesoamerican cultures.
Provenance
(Black Tulip Galleries, Inc., Dallas, TX, 1959, sold to James C. and Florence C. Gruener) (?-1959); James C. [1903-1990] and Florence C. [1908-1982] Gruener, Cleveland, OH, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1959-1990); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1990-)
Accession Number
1990.140
Medium
pottery with white and red pigment
Dimensions
Overall: 12.6 x 5.3 x 3.2 cm (4 15/16 x 2 1/16 x 1 1/4 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener