Artwork
Smiling Face
Artist
Unknown
DepartmentLatin American Art
CultureRemojadas
Datec. A.D. 550 - 950
MediumEarthenware
Credit LineSan Antonio Museum of Art, gift of Mrs. J. P. de Werthern
Object number67.129.96
GeographyPlace madeVeracruz, Mexico
General regionNorth and Central America
DescriptionHead portion of a smiling figurine. The hat is rectangular in shape. Incised in the center front of the hat are three vertical bars. To either side of the bars is a twisted cord/textile motif that symbolizes royalty in the Maya region (the mat sign). Only one earring has preserved and has multiple elements to it. The face has the typical blank eyes and smile, teeth are present in the mouth.Label Text"Smiling" figures are part of a long tradition of mold-made, hollow ceramic figures created in Veracruz. They stand out in Mesoamerican art because of the rarity of smiles. Scholars have suggested figures like this one may represent children, persons with dwarfism, or supernatural beings. Each figure has unique aspects to the clothing and adornments worn. Depited on this figure's hat are two geometric motifs. The motif that looks like interwoven threads or reeds is interpreted in the Maya region to be a symbol of royalty. It is unclear if this symbol held the same meaning in the Veracruz region, however. 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
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.
This resource has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor.
