Monday, March 30, 2009

Female Figure

Female Figure, ca. 3500-3400 B.C.E.
Terracotta, painted
Ma'mariya, Egypt?
11 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 2 1/4 in.

Brooklyn Museum

This is one of the oldest items in the Brooklyn Museum.
"Representations of female figures with highly abstracted forms occur throughout most of the Predynastic Period. On statuettes of this period, the legs are usually not articulated and the faces are beaklike." (BM collections)

I am going to try to broaden and diversify the types of art on this blog. I'm aware that I tend toward European and American Modern and Contemporary since this is my area of specialty. I am still attempting to pull objects and work that I personally find intriguing (not necessarily like) but will give fair warning that my scholarly knowledge on their subject will be limited.

I am fascinated by the abstract nature of this figure. As quoted above this was common in the Predynastic period yet the details of the figure (symbolism, identity, function) are not exactly known. It is interesting to note how this object has been presented to us through the photograph. The black background helps the figure to pop out, emphasize the shapes created by her arms and the significant arch of her backside. The figure is currently on view, and I am curious as to how it is displayed. Most likely, set up to "stand" vertically, but would be able to see it in the round?

1 comment:

Steve said...

Perhaps it's a child's doll?