Seated Pregnant Figure - PF.3675, Origin: Costa Rica, Circa: 500 AD to 1000 AD, Dimensions: 17.5" (44.5cm) high, Catalogue: V18, Collection: Pre-Columbian, Medium: Terracotta. This striking image celebrates fertility, but reminds us that there is always pain. The pregnant woman sits upright and symmetrically with her hands clutching her distended stomach. The surface of the clay is incised with decoration resembling tattoos, and the whole body is attractively painted with rich browns and russet. The power of the sculpture is undeniable, and its subject could well be a woman of great tribal importance, denoted by the scale of the piece and her headwear and decoration. Could a proud descendant to honour a worthy ancestor have modeled this piece?

Antiquities
Ancient Central America & Mexico