Female Figure

About the Art

Reducing the human figure to its most basic shape, sculptures like this are found throughout the Cyclades. Often found within tombs, these sculptures lay in a horizontal position as they are unable to stand vertically without support. While their precise function is unknown, it is commonly believed that these figures represent female fertility, as many feature swollen bellies and pronounced female anatomy.

The Cyclades, about thirty islands and many islets in the central area of the Aegean Sea adjacent to Greece, were an important location for sea trade, having abundant supplies of mineral ores and stone, especially marble.

FEATURED IMAGE
Artist(s) unknown (Greece, Early Cycladic II Period, 2700–2300 BCE), Female Figure, about 2700–2300 BCE, marble, height 23 1/4 inches (59.1 cm). Museum purchase with funds provided by the 1969 Associate Board Art Ball, 1969.36