Sometimes the earliest cultures are the last to be identified by archaeologists. The antiquity of the Olmec civilization of ancient Mexico only became apparent with the advent of radiocarbon dating in the middle of the twentieth century. Olmec artists mastered an array of media and produced representations that range from refined miniatures in precious jadeite or wood, to monumental works in basalt. Now considered the first great sculptural tradition in the ancient Americas, these images remind us that naturalism is not necessarily the result of an evolution: Olmec sculptures often demonstrate a striking degree of physiognomic fidelity. Well known for their "colossal heads"—probably ruler portraits, carved from basalt boulders—Olmec sculptors also represented individuals on a smaller scale, such as this figure of a kneeling, bearded man with his hands on his knees. Carved from dark greenish-gray serpentine, the figure possesses much of the latent power of his larger brethren, the muscled arms and strong legs seemingly ready to spring into action.

Other than a loincloth, this figure—perhaps a portrait of a ruler—is unadorned, although inlays and other additions may have once been present, substantially altering its appearance. The eyes, for example, likely held shell or stone inlays, and ornaments may have once graced the ears. Delicate incisions indicate hair and a beard. The hands, feet, and a portion of the left arm were broken off in antiquity, perhaps echoing the purposeful defacement of some of the colossal heads in ancient times, for reasons unknown.

In the absence of any associated hieroglyphic texts, the precise meaning of the figure is unclear. Smaller-scale kneeling figures appear to represent figures in the process of transformation into powerful feline deities, but the present example betrays no signs of either animal or supernatural traits. Is he readying himself for such a transformation? Or is he, like his colossal counterparts, a serene embodiment of formal and conceptual power?