Grotesque Head
Unknown Artist
early 12th century
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
1 3/4 x 2 1/4 in. (4.4 x 5.7 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture
Central Asia
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.32.60
Tags
Art Historical Context
This petite earthenware sculpture, *Grotesque Head*,ails from Central Asia in the early 12th century a vibrant era along the Silk Road where diverse cultures intertwined. Crafted from fired clay, this 1 3/4 x 2 1/4-inch (4.4 x 5.7 cm) piece exemplifies the region's of small-scale ceramic figurines, often used in architectural decoration or as protective talismans. Its exaggerated, menacing features—typical of "grotesque" motifslikely served an apotropaic function, warding off evil spirits in homes, mosques, or tombs. In Central Asian art, such heads reflect the fusion of pre-Islamic and Islam...