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San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. J. P. de Werthern.
Smiling Figure
San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. J. P. de Werthern.
Contact us at copyright@samuseum.org for rights and reproduction of this image.

Smiling Figure

Artist Unknown
DepartmentLatin American Art
CultureVeracruz
Dateca. A.D. 550-950
MediumEarthenware
Dimensionsheight: 13 3/8 in. (34 cm)
width: 7 5/16 in. (18.6 cm)
Credit LineSan Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. J. P. de Werthern
Object number67.129.77
Geography
Place madeLos Cerros, Veracruz, Mexico
General regionNorth and Central America
DescriptionHollow ceramic standing human figure dressed in a skirt and headdress. Also adorned with appliqued necklace and has pierced ears. The arms are disproportionaly smaller than the rest of the figure's features. Has the signature smile for figures of this type and variety.Label TextThis “smiling” figure is part of a long tradition of mold-made, hollow ceramic figures created in Veracruz, but it stands out because the depiction of a smile is rare in Mesoamerican art. Scholars have suggested figures like this one may represent children, persons with dwarfism, or supernatural beings. The few “smiling” figures recovered from archaeological contexts demonstrate that they were used in activities that took place in major ceremonial centers and funerary contexts. (Bernadette, 2020)Provenancewith Mrs. Jeannette Petter de Werthern (1887-1991), Kettering, OH, by 1967; by donation to the Witte Museum, San Antonio, TX, 1967; by transfer to the San Antonio Museum of Art, 1994Published ReferencesKelker, Nancy L, and San Antonio Museum Association. America before Columbus: Pre-Columbian Art in the Collection of the San Antonio Museum Association (San Antonio: San Antonio Museum Association, 1985), 125.
On view
Collections
San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. J.P. de Werthern.
Female with Headdress
Unknown
Culture: Veracruz
ca. A.D. 150-250
San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. J. P. de Werthern.
Smiling Face
Unknown
Culture: Rejomadas
ca. A.D. 550-950
Gift of Mrs. A.A. Seeligson, Sr.
Seated Female Nursing Baby
Unknown
Culture: Jalisco
ca. 200 B.C.-A.D. 300
Image Not Available for Kneeling Female Figure
Kneeling Female Figure
Unknown
Culture: Nayarit
ca. 200 B.C.-A.D. 300
San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Gilbert M. Denman, Jr.
Female Holding Child
Unknown
Culture: Aztec
ca. A.D. 1300-1500
San Antonio Museum of Art, The D. Joseph Judge, M.D. Collection donated by the Judge Family.
Funerary Urn with Lid
Unknown
Culture: Maya
ca. A.D. 500-950
San Antonio Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. J. P. de Werthern.
Dressed Figure
Unknown
Culture: Maya
ca. A.D. 600-900
Image Not Available for Standing Human Figure
Standing Human Figure
Unknown
Culture: Chupicuaro
ca. 500-100 B.C.
Purchased with funds provided by Lenora and Walter F. Brown.
Seated Figure of Buddha
Culture: Chinese
15th-16th century
San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Ambassador (Ret.) Donald C. Johnson in memory of his wife Ne…
Saddle
Culture: Mongolian
San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. J. P. de Werthern.
Smiling Face
Unknown
Culture: Remojadas
c. A.D. 550 - 950
San Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. A. A. Seeligson, Sr.
Figure with Hands on Hips
Unknown
Culture: Tlatilco
ca. 1000-500 B.C.

The San Antonio Museum of Art is in the process of digitizing its permanent collection. This electronic record was created from historic documentation that does not necessarily reflect SAMA's complete or current knowledge about the object. Review and updating of such records is ongoing.

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