Sacred Eucharistic Featherwork

This type of object formed part of the liturgical trappings made to deck out the altar while mass was being celebrated. The two scenes depicted on the center board —Calvary at the top, and the Last Supper in the middle— are related to the supreme Christian sacrament of the Eucharist, which explains the presence of Saint Peter and Saint Paul -pillars of the Church upon whom Christ leans for support— on the side boards. Pre-Hispanic featherwork of this kind very much impressed the Spanish missionaries, who prevented it from falling out of use, affording it a role in their evangelization drive. Hence, after the Conquest, these objects were produced in the institutions run by the religious orders, such as Saint Joseph's School for Natives, which was located in the Franciscan Convent in México City. This piece was probably taken out of México during the Viceregal period, since, being considered novel, such featherwork items were often given as presents to the Spanish court or to high-ranking ecclesiastical figures, including the Pope. Its return to México in 1992 was made possible by a donation from the National Council for Culture and the Arts (CONACULTA), and, since that year, it has formed part of the MUNAL's collection.