Female Figure
Unknown Artist
12th–10th century BCE
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
H. 2 15/16 in. (7.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Sculpture
Culture
Tlatilco
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Accession Number
1979.206.1010
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate ceramic Female Figure, crafted by an unknown artist from the Tlatilco culture ancient Mesoamerica around the 12th–10th century, stands just 2 15/16 inches (7.5 cm) tall. Hailing from the Valley of during the Early Preclassic period, Tlatilco figurines this one are among the earliest known sculpted works from the region, offering a glimpse into a formative society that flourished before the rise of later civilizations like the Olmec and Teotihuacan. Hand-modeled from clay and fired to create a durable form, these small sculptures highlight the Tlatilco people's mastery of ceramic...