Smiling Figurine
c. 1000–300 B.C.
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
11.5 × 9.6 × 3.9 cm (4 1/2 × 3 3/4 × 1 1/2 in.)
Classification
ritual objects
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
200701
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Figurines from the Jomon period (about 14,000-300 BCE) have been found in greater numbers than figural representations from Neolithic China or Korea (about 10,000-1500 BCE). Though roughly executed, this figurine exudes human expression. Scholars have found a large number of these figurines, suggesting that they played an important role in Japan’sritual life at the time–something we don’t know much about.
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...