Spirited and expressive, this pregnant female figure is an extraordinary representation of the corpus of ceramic art that was created centuries ago in the Mexican state of Nayarit. Located in the western region of the country, the area of Nayarit was home to a group of people who were highly adept at artistically manipulating the medium of clay. It was here that expert craftsmen developed a distinctive style of ceramic art called Chinesco, so named because of the clay figures characteristic facial features small, slanted almond shaped eyes that combine with high cheekbones to convey an exotic oriental feeling. In this lovely example of the Chinesco style, we also see the characteristic heart shaped head and pointed ornamented nose that further distinguishes the style. With her body positioned in a dramatic birth giving posture, this pregnant female figure holds her long thin arms over her distended stomach. We can almost see her hands pushing down on her swollen belly as she contends with the miraculous experience of bringing new life into the world. How touching is her demeanor, how universal is her circumstance. She is truly a testament to the tender sensitivities of the Nayarit artists and their outstanding ability to translate those feelings into a beautifully expressive work of art.