Seated Male Figure

Unknown

2nd–4th century · Ceramic · Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

The figure in the Nayarit ‘Chinesco’ style depicts a seated male, nude except for jewelry and extensive body paint, his crossed arms resting on his pulled up knees. Across the forehead of his flattened head runs a raised band. His small eyes and mouth are shown as short horizontal incisions. His prominent broad nose has large nostrils and a perforated septum. The lobes of his ears also have holes. His face is white, but the eye area which looks like an eye mask, is red with small geometric motifs painted in black. He wears a multi-strand necklace on his neck also painted white. His torso, arms and legs are red, but the shoulders and arms have multiple rows with groups of short black lines. He wears white anklets and his toenails are also white. Around his torso are two wide horizontal registers with circles inside triangles painted in white and black.

Artist

Unknown

Date

2nd–4th century

Medium

Ceramic

Culture

Nayarit (Chinesco)

Department

Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas

Credit line

Gift of Albert J. Grant and Monique Grant Joint Revocable Trust, 2014