Female with Child on Back
Unknown Artist
3rd century BCE–4th century CE
Medium
Ceramic, pigment
Dimensions
H. 1 15/16 in. (4.9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Sculpture
Culture
Chupicuaro
Department
Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Michael C. Rockefeller Memorial Collection, Bequest of Nelson A. Rockefeller, 1979
Accession Number
1979.206.979
Tags
Art Historical Context
This petite ceramic figurine, *Female with Child on Back hails from the Chupícuaro culture of west-central Mexico, thriving between the 3rd century BCE and 4th century CE during the Preclassic period of Mesoamerica. Standing just under 2 inches tall (H. 1 15/16 in., or 4.9 cm), it captures a tender moment of motherhood—a woman carrying an infant strapped to her back, a common motif in Chupícuaro art that reflects the centrality of family and daily life in this ancient society. Crafted from clay with applied pigments, the sculpture showcases Chupícuaro artisans' skillful hand-building techniqu...