Standing Female Figure

Description

The female depicted in this sculpture wears a serpent-maw headdress—the female’s head appears within the jaws of the serpent, whose eyes can be seen on the “fan” of stone around the head. Many elite Mesoamerican people of the period are shown wearing similar headdresses, suggesting that such sculptures represent noble women. In the past, they have been interpreted as supernatural beings.

Provenance

John A. Stokes, Upper Nyack, NY, gift to James C. and Florence C. Gruener (?-1969); James C. [1903-1990] and Florence C. [1908-1982] Gruener, Cleveland, OH, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1969-1990); The Cleveland Museum of Art (1990)

Standing Female Figure

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c. 1000–1500

Accession Number

1990.169

Medium

stone

Dimensions

Overall: 70 x 33 x 22.5 cm (27 9/16 x 13 x 8 7/8 in.)

Classification

Sculpture

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener