This exhibition is dedicated to the symbolic meaning of the feather in pre-Columbian America. Right from the early days of the evangelisation of Mexico, priests would reuse the art of the Aztec feather craftsmen to the advantage of the new religion, in order to make original and mixed artworks which remain one of the symbols of the New Spain. Amongst all the riches brought back from Mexico, works in feathers have certainly been the most appreciated in Europe.

After an initial section devoted to the pre-Columbian feather craftsmen and the importance of this material in the Mesoamerican cosmology, the six pictures conserved in France will be shown together for the first time. The installation will also cover the production techniques, and the sometimes disconcerting realm of representation of America Europe, before presenting several Andean works of Baroque art that blend Christian iconography and ancestral symbols, like the feather. Finally, the exhibition will end with a display of contemporary creation with the works of feather artist Nelly Saunier.

This exhibition was produced by the musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in partnership with the musée des Jacobins and the Agglomération du Grand Auch.