172 - Female idol

Female idol with wide hips Beige terracotta, repaired with clay, slight chip on one foot, signs of age. Chupícuaro, State of Guanajuato, Mexico, 400–100 B.C. 13.5 x 6.1 cm Provenance: Former Mythes et Légendes Gallery, Paris. Certificate by Michel Cohen dated December 21, 1984. At the confluence of the Lerma and Tigre rivers, the Chupícuaro culture flourished at the end of the Formative Period and produced, in addition to its famous painted pottery, an abundance of small, hand-modeled figurines of great vitality. A major center of western Mexico, whose influence extended to the Valley of Mexico, the site was submerged in 1949 by the waters of the Solís Dam. This figurine makes a striking impression. The full breasts and slightly rounded belly contrast with the atrophied arms in a slender silhouette, which is further enhanced by her adornments: a multi-row necklace and large tambas, ear ornaments whose size indicates her high social status. Documentary reference: The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, female figure, Chupícuaro, 500–300 B.C., inv. 1991.502.