Standing Figurine

Item number L75.15 from the Brooklyn Museum.

Public

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Data
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Description

Small figurine carved out of reddish-brown felsite with the typical Olmec drooping-lipped face. The figure also has features of an animal such as a cap with feline ears and a long, bushy tail at the back, both suggesting that he is wearing a costume of an animal, perhaps a jaguar. The figure has two small drill holes at the eyes and at the downturned corners of the mouth.

Credit Line

Collection of Christopher B. Martin

Label

The Olmec civilization (1400–400 B.C.E.) of Mexico’s Gulf Coast region produced small, portable figurines intended for ritualistic purposes. These three works display the characteristic Olmec sculptural features of a drooping lip and an elongated, flattened head. The winged figure and felsite figurine reflect the Olmec tradition of merging human and animal traits. Such composite forms relate to the ability of shamans, or ritual specialists, to transform themselves into animals. The wings represent those of a bat, associated with the darkness of the underworld. The figurine’s bushy tail and cap with feline ears suggest a jaguar, a sacred animal revered for its power. Jadeite and felsite were not native to Olmec ceremonial centers. Challenging to acquire and laborious to carve, they were valuable materials. The winged figure’s discovery in Costa Rica indicates the reverence for Olmec carvin

Item History

Made between 801 BCE and 501 BCE

What

Name: Standing Figurine
Identification Number: L75.15
Type of Item: standing and figurine
Material: felsite and traces of red pigment
Overall: length 2.25 in, width 1.375 in, height 0.75 in

Where

Holding Institution: Brooklyn Museum

Who

Culture: Olmec

When

Creation Date: between 801 BCE and 501 BCE

Other

Location: American Identities: A New Look, American Art Galleries, 5th Floor, The Americas’ First Peoples, 4000 B.C.E.–1521 C.E., 5th Floor
Classification: Sculpture