Miniature figurine c. 1500

This miniature figurine was made by the Tlatilco people and is currently housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art. What strikes you first about this object is its compact, cylindrical form and the rough texture of the clay. The figurine presents a fascinating interplay of geometric simplification and naturalistic detail. Its structure is divided into distinct registers, moving from a rudimentary head with subtle eye markings down to what appears to be a stylized body marked by vertical striations. The texture and the earthy tone of the clay suggest a raw, immediate connection to the material world. It is as if the artist sought not to disguise the clay but to enhance its inherent properties, making the material itself a key component of the artwork's expressive power. The simplification of form destabilizes the traditional modes of representation, inviting us to reconsider the boundary between abstraction and figuration.