“Fangs, Feathers, and Fins: Sacred Creatures in Ancient American Art”
Moché, Crab Effigy Vessel, 100–800 AD, ceramic, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Frank Carroll in memory of his grandfather, Frank L. Carroll, II.
Colima, Mexico, Seated Dog, 300 BC–300 AD, earthenware with slip, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Mrs. Harry C. Hanszen.
Moché, Peru, Feline Head Effigy Vessel, 100–800, earthenware and slip, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Alfred C. Glassell Accessions Endowment Fund.
Nasca, Peru, Killer Whale Deity Effigy Vessel, 100 BC–700 AD, earthenware and slip, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by the Shell Oil Company Foundation at “One Great Night in November, 1997”
Chimú or Chancay, Jaguar Textile, 800–1450 AD, woven and dyed cotton, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Richard D. Kinder, Meredith J. Long, and Fayez Sarofim in honor of Alfred C. Glassell, Jr. at "One Great Night in November."
Veraguas, Stingray Bell Pendant, 400–1550 AD, gold, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Alfred C. Glassell, Jr.
Moché, Peru, Reclining Feline Effigy Vessel, 100–800, earthenware with slip and shell inlay, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Museum purchase funded by Alfred C. Glassell, Jr.
Coclé, Panama, Pelican Effigy Bell Pendant, 300–1550 AD, gold, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, gift of Alfred C. Glassell, Jr.
Title
Fangs, Feathers, and Fins: Sacred Creatures in Ancient American Art
Dates
October 16, 2014–March 22, 2015*
Overview
Throughout history, humanity has been fascinated with the creatures that populate the world. In the ancient Americas, wildlife such as jaguars, harpy eagles, and killer whales became symbols of divinity and rulership and played significant roles in religion and society. The inventive ways in which animals were depicted in art provide a window into the beliefs and practices of long-gone cultures that never developed written language and left few traces other than their art.
Drawing from the Museum’s significant Pre-Columbian collection, and spanning nearly 5,000 years, the exhibition Fangs, Feathers, and Fins: Sacred Creatures in Ancient American Art is the first time that these remarkable artworks—dating from 3300 BC to 1550 AD—will be brought together thematically at the Museum. More than 200 artworks in the exhibition demonstrate how the peoples of the ancient Americas viewed themselves and the world around them. A 1,000-year-old feather tunic from the Nasca people of Peru, intricate gold ornaments from the Tairona culture of Colombia, and evocative ceramic vessels and stone monuments made by the Maya and Olmec of ancient Mexico will be revelations to many.
*As of December 2014, the closing date is March 22, 2015, a change from the originally scheduled closing date of January 25, 2015.
Location
Millennium Gallery
Audrey Jones Beck Building
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
5601 Main Street
Media Contacts
Mary Haus, Whitney Radley, and Vanessa Ramirez-Sparrow
MFAH communications
vramirez-sparrow@mfah.org / 713.639.7554