Head of a Female
c. 600 BCE
Medium
Earthenware and pigment
Dimensions
7.3 × 3.9 × 2.8 cm (2 7/8 × 1 9/16 × 1 1/8 in.)
Classification
earthenware
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
120529
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts the Americas collection, *Head of a Female* a delicate earthenware sculpture dating to around 600 BCE. Crafted from fired clay and adorned with pigment, this petite artifact measures just 7. × 3.9 × 2.8 cm, suggesting it may have been part of a larger figure or a standalone votive object. Its small scale invites close inspection, revealing the ancient artisan's skill in capturing subtle facial features through simple, expressive modeling. This piece emerges from a pivotal era in pre-Columbian Americas, when early complex societies were flourishin...
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...