Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Head from a Figure
(Ancient Americas )
The head illustrates the typical Olmec-style fleshy face with facial features clustered together. The eyes are markedly slanted and slightly crossed, with pupils indicated by a sharp punctate in the clay. The well-defined horizontal ridge across the forehead may depict intentional binding of the cranium to achieve a specific head form for reasons of beauty or ideology, a practice found throughout ancient Mesoamerica. Although this figure's body is missing, the head's upraised position recalls that of the hollow, infantile sculptures.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Purchased by John G. Bourne, Santa Fe, New Mexico, between 1940 and 1949 [1]; given to Walters Art Museum, 2013.
[1] from a shop in Santa Barbara, California
Exhibitions
| 2012-2013 | Exploring Art of the Ancient Americas: The John Bourne Collection Gift. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville. |
Geographies
Mexico, Guerrero (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 4 3/4 x W: 3 1/2 x D: 3 1/2 in. (12.07 x 8.89 x 8.89 cm); With mount H: 8 x W: 3 11/16 x D: 3 5/8 in. (20.32 x 9.4 x 9.14 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of John G. Bourne, 2013
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
2009.20.185