Female Figurine with Topknot
1000–300 B.C.
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
14 × 8.9 × 7 cm (5 1/2 × 3 1/2 × 2 3/4 in.)
Classification
ritual objects
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
200698
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Jōmon figurines vary greatly in size, manufacture, and refinement, and they are often found broken, as if they have been thrown away. Noticeable in this figurine are the elaborate hairstyle and the patterns on the shoulders. The hairstyle along with the appearance of breasts would indicate that the figurine is meant to represent a female figure. Such figures are thought to have been used as part of rituals relating to childbirth, though the nature of those rituals and why the figures are often f...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...