332 COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 



Fray Geroinino de Mendieta, also writing at the close of the sixteenth 

 century, relates that 



What seems to surpass the genius of mail was the native art of producing, by means 

 of feathers, the same results obtained by the best painters with their brushes and 

 colors. Having, nowadays, had ample opportunities of seeing our works of art, the 

 faculties (of the Amantecas) have been enlarged and stimulated, and it is a marvel 

 with what perfection they exercised their art, so entirely new to us, and produced 

 images and pictures worthy of being presented to princes, kings, and sovereign 

 pontiffs. 1 



From this and further testimony, and a critical examination of 

 samples of purely native production enumerated above, it is evident 

 that although the art of working in .feathers had long been practiced 

 in Mexico and had developed a remarkable degree of dexterity, it did 

 not reach its highest development until infused with new life by con 

 tact with Spanish art. Motilinia and Mendieta expatiate on the wonder 

 ful quickness of perception that characterized the native artisans in 

 every branch of industry, and relate many instances of their produc 

 ing counterparts, difficult to distinguish from the originals of European 

 manufacture. 



Toward the close of the sixteenth century native art and industry 

 attained its highest development in the City of Mexico, under the 

 fostering care of the Spanish missionaries who, at that time, zealously 

 sought to educate the Indians and took a paternal interest and pride 

 in their talents and improvement. It may be a surprise to many to 

 learn that a few masterpieces still exist that date from this period, and 

 were actually intended to be presented to &quot;princes kings, or sov 

 ereign pontiffs.&quot; 



Having had occasion to examine these carefully, I can testify that 

 they fully justify the enthusiasm of the Spanish friars whose words 

 of praise have been quoted above. 



A remarkable specimen of feather mosaic, a shield (PI. IY), dating 

 from this period, was displayed in the historical European exhibition 

 toward its close. This shield pertains to the royal collection of 

 the Armory, at Madrid, and is reputed to have belonged to Phillip II. 

 It is designated as such in the inventory preserved, but no place of 

 origin is assigned to it. During my visit to the Royal Armory in 

 October, 1893, the shield arrested my attention, and I identified it as 

 being of Hispano-Mexican workmanship. Having communicated this 

 identification to the distinguished and learned director, Count Valencia, 

 he courteously afforded me every facility for making a close examina 

 tion of the shield and kindly furnished me with photographs and his 

 torical data relating to the battle scenes depicted on its face. As a 

 specimen of Hispano Mexican art, it became endowed with a fresh 

 interest, and was promptly transferred to the exhibition building, 

 where it subsequently attracted much attention. Brief notices of the 

 above facts appeared in a Madrid paper, and in Science, January 3, 



Historia Ecclesiastica Indiana, ed. Izcabalceta, p. 405. 



