Terracotta Statuette, Colombia 500-1500 AD

Terracotta Statuette, Known as "Cacique"
Quimbaya Culture, Rio Cauca, Colombia 500-1500 AD

Brown ceramic with blackened areas and tumbaga
Height: 22 cm

Provenance: Private collection, Paris

This terracotta statuette represents an anthropomorphic seated figure with hands resting on its knees. The face, characterized by a rectangular-shaped head, features incised eyes and mouth, as well as an aquiline nose adorned with a nariguera (nose ring), which has been preserved. On the forehead, four perforations once held multicolored plant fibers.

The sculpture displays a simple yet expressive modeling, typical of Quimbaya ceramic art, often associated with ritual or funerary representations. The seated posture and stylized features evoke symbolic depictions linked to shamanic beliefs or a high social status.