Cleveland Museum of Art

Standing Female Figure

Date

600–1000

Medium

ceramic, pigment

Culture

Mesoamerica, Veracruz, Nopiloa style?, 7th-10th century

Department

Art of the Americas

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Ancient Veracruz artists used ceramic to create figural sculptures in a range of sizes, styles, and types. This beautiful, finely wrought female figure is an exceptional example. Although her identity is unknown, her adornments signal high status: ear ornaments, a large necklace, an elaborate dress that drapes over her outstretched arms, and perhaps even her front teeth, filed into a T shape, may have symbolic importance. The unfinished back, with a tripod support, suggests that the figure was meant to be seen from the front. This lovely female’s body is a flat plaque supported by a tripod at the rear.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.