Figure in Flower Ornament
Unknown Artist
500–900
Medium
earthenware with slip
Dimensions
diam. 3 cm
Classification
Jewelry
Department
Art of the Americas
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James B. Wadhams in memory of Miss Helen Humphreys
Accession Number
1967.155.1
About this artwork
Figures within flowers are one of the most enchanting themes of the Maya ceramic art of Jaina, an island off the western Yucatán coast. The figures, usually males who cross their arms over their bodies, are either radiantly youthful or aged (as here), suggesting a relationship to the life cycle.