Bead in the Shape of a Frog c. 501 - 800

This small greenstone bead, now at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, presents a stylized frog form. Its materiality gives it a tactile quality, even from behind glass. The object’s form, though representational, simplifies the frog to basic geometric shapes. Notice the smooth, rounded body that contrasts with the angular projections suggesting legs and a head. These protrusions create a rhythm of positive and negative space, enhancing the bead's visual interest. The choice of greenstone, a material often associated with nature and life, adds another layer to its symbolic value. The frog, in many cultures, signifies transformation and fertility. Here, the reduction of the animal to such simplified forms invites us to consider how essential qualities can be distilled and represented. It questions the nature of representation itself: how much detail is needed to convey meaning? Perhaps its enduring appeal lies in its ability to evoke the essence of "frog-ness" through minimal yet deliberate formal choices.