Description
Nagarit ceramic sculputres, like those of Colima, were manufactured for burial with the dead. The popular male-female couples may be portraits of the individuals with whom they were buried. This female figure, dressed in a colorful skirt and hat, has painted or tattooed patterns on her torso and face. Jewelry adorns her face, ears, and nose. The vessel on her shoulder symbolizes her domestic duties. Like his female companion, this male figure is portrayed in all his finery. He carries spears, indicating that he is a hunter or warrior, and his confident grin conveys aggression and vitality.
Provenance
(Ramon Ramirez, Indio, CA, 1970, to James C. and Florence C. Gruener) (?-1970); James C. [1903-1990] and Florence C. [1908-1982] Gruener, Cleveland, OH, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art (1970-1990); The Cleveland Museum of Art (1990)
Accession Number
1990.266
Medium
earthenware with colored slips
Dimensions
Overall: 52 x 32.5 x 19.5 cm (20 1/2 x 12 13/16 x 7 11/16 in.); Part 2: 48 x 30.8 x 16 cm (18 7/8 x 12 1/8 x 6 5/16 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gruener