On view
Art of the Ancient Americas
Smiling head with a monkey on its headwear,
600–800
Remojadas
Late Classic Period (Nopiloa II)
2016-1075
Smiling figures have long been popular in modern antiquities markets due to their pleasing demeanor, relatively large scale, and the ability of looters to recover large quantities of them. The heads are sometimes mold-made—as is the head displayed here without a body—which enables the relatively easy production of fakes. Few heads have been found in their original contexts, although some were placed in tombs. The young appearance of many heads may reflect a tradition of depicting deceased souls as a combination of wise (the deceased) and youthful (the progeny to come), extending back to the Olmec in the Early Formative period.
Information
Title
Smiling head with a monkey on its headwear
Dates
600–800
Medium
Mold-impressed and assembled ceramic
Dimensions
13.4 × 15.4 × 10.6 cm (5 1/4 × 6 1/16 × 4 3/16 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Gillett G. Griffin
Object Number
2016-1075
Place Made
North America, Mexico, Veracruz, south-central Veracruz, La Mixtequilla
Period
Materials
December 1, 1956, Carlebach Gallery, New York (no. 10475-3) sold to Gillett G. Griffin (1928-2016), Princeton, NJ [1]; 2016, bequest of Gillett G. Griffin to the Princeton University Art Museum.
Notes:
[1] According to a Carlebach Gallery invoice in the curatorial file and matched to the number painted on the object. Information supported by Griffin index card (M18).
