Figure

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Culture Veracruz

Title Figure

Date 650–900

Medium Clay with traces of pigment

Dimensions Object: 14 × 10 1/2 × 5 in. (35.6 × 26.7 × 12.7 cm)
Overall: 14 × 10 1/2 × 5 in. (35.6 × 26.7 × 12.7 cm)

Credit Line Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University

Accession Number 64.60

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About this Work

At Remojadas, in central Veracruz, tens of thousands of hollow clay figures were created depicting men, women, boys, girls, ball players, deities, and warriors.

Known as a “Smiling Figure” because of its characteristic toothy grin, figures such as this are thought to have been associated with the god of dance, music, and joy or with the cult of pulque, an intoxicating drink. Such figures depict a state of joy and exuberance. It has also been suggested that these “smiling figures” represent a sacrificial victim or someone taking part in a ritual.

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Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Figure | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=64.60