Pre-Columbian Veracruz Pottery Female Figure

Pre-Columbian Veracruz Pottery Female Figure with Bitumen Highlights
Veracruz culture, Gulf Coast of Mexico, ca. 600 – 900 CE
Height: 6 in (15.2 cm) – Custom metal display stand included

A finely modeled ceramic female figure from the Classic Veracruz culture, notable for its expressive features and well-preserved surface details. The figure stands with legs slightly apart and arms extended from the body, her form emphasizing rounded hips and a slender waist typical of Veracruz sculptural style. She wears a short skirt tied around the waist and a necklace indicated by incised detailing, while traces of black bitumen pigment remain visible on the face and upper thighs — a characteristic decorative element symbolizing ritual body paint or ceremonial adornment.

Her facial features are sensitively rendered, with almond-shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and pierced ears that once held ornaments. The coiffure is elaborately styled, with a topknot or twisted hair element, further emphasizing her elite status or ritual role. The overall composition reflects the ceremonial and symbolic importance of female figures in Veracruz art, likely representing fertility, lineage, or ancestral veneration.

Surface encrustations and mineral deposits attest to long burial, and despite ancient losses to both forearms, the piece remains stable and visually compelling. Presented on a custom metal stand for optimal display.

Provenance:
Ex Leigh Fincher, Florida collection, acquired on the U.S. art market in the mid-20th century.