FEATHER ART: ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, TECHNIQUES AND WORKS - ART - 2025

The feather art is an art made with feathers of exotic birds, widely used by the early cultures of the Americas. Most of the tribes of America (including the great Mesoamerican civilizations) used bird feathers to create special clothing.

The feather garments were used by the high officials of the tribes as a symbol of divinity and responsibility. The artisans who dedicated themselves to the design and elaboration of pieces of feather art in pre-Hispanic times were called "lovercas".

Source: es.m.wikipedia.org

With the arrival of the Spanish to the American lands, the conquerors were impressed with the incredible pieces that were manufactured. Therefore, they began to demand their own clothing with a Christian sense.

Despite the great popularity it had, the art was declining with new artistic styles and with the lack of fine feathers of birds such as the quetzal. However, feathers took off again in the Industrial Revolution and in the 20th century.

Origin

First settlers of America

The feather art was born with the first settlers of the American lands, who began to use the feathers of birds for different activities. The art varied according to their customs and the regions in which they were located.

Generally, bird feathers were used in the making of clothing, ornamental decorations and as an indication of social ranks within the tribes. Knights or men of high hierarchy dressed in feathers from head to toe, to differentiate themselves from common people.

The Mexica and the Mayans made incredible headdresses made of feathers of the quetzal bird, accompanied by fabrics of gold, minerals and jade stones. They were seen as symbols of responsibility and divinity.

For pre-Hispanic cultures, birds such as the eagle, hummingbirds, macaws, and quetzals were sacred species associated with their gods. The garments made with the feathers of these birds were seen as luxury pieces.

The lovers

Feather art developed most strongly in the Aztec Empire. At present, and as a consequence of this, feather art is usually associated with Mexican culture.

The Amantecas were the artisans who dedicated themselves to the reproduction of this art in the Aztec Empire. They were located in Amatlán, Mexico. The main exponents that gave life to feather art were concentrated in this city.

Bernardino de Sahagún

The Amantecas were in charge of making the costumes for the nobility, who demanded that they be made with the finest and most colorful feathers.

All clothing had to be made with diamonds like gold, silver and encrusted. Within the Aztec culture, the figure of the “private mistresses” began to emerge, dedicated to making exclusive articles for the nobles.

Colonial period

When the colonial era began, in the 16th century, many Spanish conquerors saw with great amazement the works of art made by the lovercas. From there, he began a creative exchange with Europe, managing to spread feather art throughout the world.

The Catholic Spaniards decided to keep feather art alive and ask the lovers to make pieces with Christian motifs. At the request of the conquerors, the artists began to make images of christs, virgins and saints made with bird feathers.

characteristics

Religious sense

In the New World feathers had a ceremonial and religious significance. For American cultures, the contact between man and nature was through clothing. At the time of performing indigenous rituals, they began to decorate their costumes with bird feathers.

Birds were sacred, as they were associated with the gods of the wind for their natural ability to fly. In Mesoamerica, much of this symbolism arose with the expansion of the worship of the god Quetzalcóatl, commonly represented by a feathered serpent of the quetzal bird.

Feathers were previously considered to have magical properties such as and were symbols of fertility, abundance, wealth and power.

Christian themes

During the boom of feather art, the conquerors reached the American continent. With the influence of Spanish Catholicism in the lands of the New World, the Amantecas began to create works of art with a Christian theme.

The first works made with feathers were called "feather mosaics". These works consisted of creating images of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and scenes from the Bible. Many of these pieces were shipped from America to Europe.

Ornaments made with feathers were placed on the altars of churches and used as accessories in the clothing of the priests.

Military meaning

Some Aztec warriors also used feathers as a symbol of war. For example, in the Aztec Empire, the "warrior eagles" used feathers from birds of prey to cover their war clothing.

The Carib Indians and the Guajiros used to use feathers in their clothing to represent the number of enemies that had been eliminated in wars. The Greeks, Romans, and medieval knights had a custom of placing large feathers on their clothing.

Source: pixabay.com

Musketeers' hats were adorned with large feathers during the 17th century.

Endurance in time

In the early 17th century, feather art declined significantly. Many of the birds used to create the clothing items became scarce.

However, in the twentieth century the use of feathers in women's hats was resumed, an elegant feature in the fashion of the time.

Despite this, the feathers that were used were generally chickens, quail, parakeets, peacocks and ducks, dyed with synthetic paint.

Techniques

Technique for common objects

Before starting to create accessories such as bracelets or hats, the lovercas had to secure the feathers with ropes to help give the object three-dimensionality. Next, it was necessary to think of a support that would serve as a base to adhere or weave the feathers to the clothing.

In many of the pieces, the lovercas made inlays with small pieces of gold, silver and precious stones.

Feather painting technique

The technique of painting with feathers was developed with the arrival of the Spanish and has been considered one of the most complicated techniques in feather art. The technique of painting with feathers is often called the “mosaic-type technique”.

This methodology was used mainly in shields and capes for the warriors of the time; for this type of clothing the finest feathers should be used. Before starting the piece, a layer of common feathers had to be placed to complement the background of the work.

At the end of the piece, the details were made with the precious feathers to obtain the desired elegance. During the pre-Hispanic period, artists attached feathers with orchid bulbs.

Feathered thread technique

The feathered thread technique was a technique performed by pre-Hispanic artists and considered an antiquated technique. Many of the pieces were made from a down: a type of soft feather different from the traditional ones.

The technique consisted of the union of two cotton threads that are twisted to hold the down. With this procedure, fabrics with different feather designs were formed.

Plays

Montezuma plume

The Plume of Moctezuma is a crown of feathers that, according to traditions, belonged to the Aztec emperor Moctezuma II.

The piece was made with feathers of the quetzal bird, decorated with other types of feathers, details in gold and precious stones. Although its origin is uncertain, it is known that it was made by the Amantecas of pre-Hispanic times.

Source: es.m.wikipedia.org

It has a height of approximately 116 cm and a diameter of 175 cm. It is currently in the Museum of Ethnology in Vienna, Austria. According to many scholars of this art, the piece is not considered a plume or hat, but a cape.

Mass of Saint Gregory

The Mass of Saint Gregory was an Aztec painting with feathers made by Diego de Alvarado Huanitzin (Moctezuma II's nephew and son-in-law). The work served as an offering to Pope Paul III and is recognized as one of the oldest pieces of Christian-themed feather art.

It is represented on a panel, with mural painting techniques with characteristics of feather art. The piece narrates a scene from a Eucharist performed by Pope Saint Gregory the Great, on a Christmas day, when the miracle of the appearance of Christ took place.

Source: es.m.wikipedia.org

In the painting, Christ is shown showing his wounds surrounded by elements of the Eucharist and those who attended mass.

The mantle of Zinacantepec

The Zinacantepec mantle represents one of the most outstanding works of the colonial era. This piece was made by the Amantecas, using the technique of the spun and twisted feather.

The scenes that appear on the mantle allude to one of the Mexican myths regarding the creation of the world. Throughout the play, the death of the double-headed eagle is narrated when it rises towards the sky to become the sun and the moon.

This piece has been safeguarded and preserved since its creation. It is currently in the National Museum of the Viceroyalty, in Mexico. It is protected with a glass that protects it from light, heat and dust.

References

1. All about feather art, Canal Once, (2014). Taken from youtube.com
2. Mass of San Gregorio, Portal of the Complutense University of Madrid, (nd). Taken from ucm.es
3. The Zinacantepec mantle has a new container that will protect it from light, dust and fire, Website of the National Institute of Anthropology and History, (2015). Taken from inah.gob.mx
4. Mexican featherwork, Wikipedia in English, (nd). Taken from Wikipedia.org
5. Penacho de Moctezuma: 10 interesting facts about this piece, Janeth Ochoa, (nd). Taken from mexicodesconocido.com.mx