Etched Dogu-Style Terracotta Figure

This intricately styled terracotta figurine is sculpted in the style of Japanese Dogū sculptures of the Jōmon period (10th-4th century B.C.). Reminiscent of Pre-Columbian redware figures, Dogū ceramics are known for their primitive abstract rendering of the human form and decorative geometric etchings. This ceramic figurine closely resembles these ancient forms, featuring short, bulbous limbs with incised horizontal details and an expressive carved face.

Jōmon, meaning “cord-marked” or “rope-patterned,” references the style of pottery widely produced during this time. As displayed in this figurine, ceramic Jōmon pieces typically exhibit impressions of cords or rope, giving them their distinctive look and connecting them to greater Jōmon culture. Although the function of such clay figures are speculated, this petite ceramic is now celebrated as a storied sculptural object.