Fragmentary Smiling Figure
Unknown Artist
6th–9th century
Medium
Ceramic
Dimensions
H. 8 3/8 x W. 6 5/8 x D. 4 3/4 in. (21.3 x 16.8 x 12.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Sculpture
Culture
Remojadas
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
1979.206.577
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting *Fragmentary Smiling Figure hails from the Remojadas culture of ancient Veracruz, Mexico, dating the 6th–9th century CE. Remojadas artisans were renowned for crafting lively ceramic sculptures that captured human forms with expressive faces, often placed in tombs or used in rituals to honor the dead or invoke fertility. Though incomplete—likely missing parts of the body—this fragment preserves a signature joyful smile, evoking the vibrant spirit of pre-Columbian life. Hand-modeled from clay and fired to a warm earthen tone, the figurine measures just 8⅜ inches tall, highlighti...