GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Hollow pottery baby figurines are a common theme in Olmec art, where they represent the capacity of kings to regenerate life out of death. They are known as baby-face figurines because they exhibit plump bodies and facial features similar to an infant. They are normally depicted in a seated position, with arms raised and legs spread, and nude with no indication of gender. Other common features include almond-shaped or small slit-like eyes, a large sloping forehead that may indicate cranial deformation, and a merging of human and animal traits that may refer to the were-jaguar motif, a human-like figure with a down-turned mouth, cleft head, and almond-shaped eyes. Massive stone thrones found in the Gulf Coast Olmec centers of San Lorenzo and La Venta depict kings holding supernatural "were-jaguar" infants. Perhaps hollow baby figures such as this one were used in rituals.
Drawn from
- Carol Robbins, Label text [1971.40], A. H. Meadows Galleries, 2010.
- "Olmec Baby-Face Figurines." In Khan Academy. The British Museum, 2015. https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/british-museum/the-americas-bm/meso-central-america-bm/a/olmec-figurine.
- "Baby Figure" [Mexico; Olmec]" (1979.206.1134) In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1979.206.1134. (October 2006).
NOTES
- Olmec, Formative period, 1200–400 B.C.E., updated by KJones in TMS on 03/14/16, and 03/21/16.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Pre-Columbian (American): AAT: 300016619
Olmec: AAT: 300017051
Geography
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
Veracruz (state): TGN: 7005599
Tenenexpan (inhabited place): TGN: 7437957
Process/materials
ceramic (material): AAT: 300235507
slip (clay): AAT: 300010459
cinnabar (mineral and pigment): AAT: 300311452
cinnabar (pigment): AAT: 300400883
slip glaze: AAT: 300015110
clay: AAT: 300010439
modeling (forming): AAT: 300053130
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903
slab method (pottery technique): AAT: 300053905
incising: AAT: 300053847
iron oxide: AAT: 300387477
iron oxide red (pigment): AAT: 300013537
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
kilns (ovens / heating equipment): AAT: 300022798
hollow (form attribute): AAT: 300163023
Historical periods
Middle Preclassic Period (Formative): AAT: 300016973
Late Preclassic Period (Formative): AAT: 300016976
Preclassic (Archaic / Formative / Mesoamerican period): AAT: 300016967
Formative Period (Preclassic): AAT: 300016973
Individuals
Subject terms
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
figurine: AAT: 300047455
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
figures: AAT: 300189808
sitting (seated): AAT: 300263970
children (people by age group): AAT: 300025945
infants (children): AAT: 300189561
rulers (people): AAT: 300025475
king: AAT: 300025481
baby-face figurine (baby-faces / Olmec style): DMA
beautification: AAT: 300111985
body modification: AAT: 300262468
deformation: AAT: 300072976
head: AAT: 300262520
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
Until 1971: Everett Rassiga, Inc. (Everett Rassiga), New York [1]
From 1971: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, The Art Museum League Fund, purchased from the above [1], [2]
[1] The main source for this provenance is Invoice from Everett Rassiga, Inc., New York (dated June 09, 1971, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
IMAGE ASSETS
- 253362810: UMO. [Caption] Altar 5, La Venta (left side), rulers holding supernatural infants. Source: Ruben Charles, Wikimedia Commons, accessed: May 29 2015, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Altar_5_from_La_Venta%2C_left_side_%28Ruben_Charles%29.jpg.
- 253365302: UMO. [Caption] Monument 52 from San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan, Veracruz, showing a classic were-jaguar figure. Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosemania, Wikimedia Commons, accessed: June 01 2015, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Seated_Olmec_Jaguar_from_San_Lorenzo%2C_Veracruz.jpg.
WEB RESOURCES
Khan Academy~Read more about Olmec baby-face figurines.
ARCHIVAL RESOURCES
FUN FACTS
TEACHING IDEAS
RULES
Apply to objects where number equals 1971.40
Category
rules_operator
AND
General Description
Hollow pottery baby figurines are a common theme in Olmec art, where they represent the capacity of kings to regenerate life out of death. They are known as baby-face figurines because they exhibit plump bodies and facial features similar to an infant. They are normally depicted in a seated position, with arms raised and legs spread, and nude with no indication of gender. Other common features include almond-shaped or small slit-like eyes, a large sloping forehead that may indicate cranial deformation, and a merging of human and animal traits that may refer to the were-jaguar motif, a human-like figure with a down-turned mouth, cleft head, and almond-shaped eyes. Massive stone thrones found in the Gulf Coast Olmec centers of San Lorenzo and La Venta depict kings holding supernatural "were-jaguar" infants. Perhaps hollow baby figures such as this one were used in rituals.
Drawn from
- Carol Robbins, Label text [1971.40], A. H. Meadows Galleries, 2010.
- "Olmec Baby-Face Figurines." In Khan Academy. The British Museum, 2015. https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-content/british-museum/the-americas-bm/meso-central-america-bm/a/olmec-figurine.
- "Baby Figure" [Mexico; Olmec]" (1979.206.1134) In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1979.206.1134. (October 2006).
Fun Facts
Archival Resources
Web Resources
Notes
- Olmec, Formative period, 1200–400 B.C.E., updated by KJones in TMS on 03/14/16, and 03/21/16.
Catalogue essays
Artist/designers
Cultures
Pre-Columbian (American): AAT: 300016619
Olmec: AAT: 300017051
Geography
Mexico (nation): TGN: 7005560
Veracruz (state): TGN: 7005599
Tenenexpan (inhabited place): TGN: 7437957
Process/materials
ceramic (material): AAT: 300235507
slip (clay): AAT: 300010459
cinnabar (mineral and pigment): AAT: 300311452
cinnabar (pigment): AAT: 300400883
slip glaze: AAT: 300015110
clay: AAT: 300010439
modeling (forming): AAT: 300053130
coiling (pottery technique): AAT: 300053903
slab method (pottery technique): AAT: 300053905
incising: AAT: 300053847
iron oxide: AAT: 300387477
iron oxide red (pigment): AAT: 300013537
paint (coating): AAT: 300015029
kilns (ovens / heating equipment): AAT: 300022798
hollow (form attribute): AAT: 300163023
Historical periods
Middle Preclassic Period (Formative): AAT: 300016973
Late Preclassic Period (Formative): AAT: 300016976
Preclassic (Archaic / Formative / Mesoamerican period): AAT: 300016967
Formative Period (Preclassic): AAT: 300016973
Individuals
Subject terms
sculpture: AAT: 300047090
figurine: AAT: 300047455
supernatural (concepts): AAT: 300055947
figures: AAT: 300189808
sitting (seated): AAT: 300263970
children (people by age group): AAT: 300025945
infants (children): AAT: 300189561
rulers (people): AAT: 300025475
king: AAT: 300025481
baby-face figurine (baby-faces / Olmec style): DMA
beautification: AAT: 300111985
body modification: AAT: 300262468
deformation: AAT: 300072976
head: AAT: 300262520
RELATED OBJECTS
PROVENANCE
Until 1971: Everett Rassiga, Inc. (Everett Rassiga), New York [1]
From 1971: Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, The Art Museum League Fund, purchased from the above [1], [2]
[1] The main source for this provenance is Invoice from Everett Rassiga, Inc., New York (dated June 09, 1971, copy in Dallas Museum of Art Collections Records Object File). Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[2] The name of the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, founded in 1933, was changed to the Dallas Museum of Art in 1983.
AUDIO ASSETS
VIDEO ASSETS
rules
Apply To
Objects
number
Equals
1971.40
source file
object_notes_3_a-0748.xml.nores