Fascination with Fauna: The Portrayal of Animals in Pre-Hispanic Art

Featuring art from the museum’s renowned Pre-Hispanic collection, the exhibition will communicate the significance of animals in nature, religion, society, and art to three cultures from early Mexico (the Nayarit, Colima, and Zapotec), Central America, and Peru.

Visually engaging and historically significant, the art on display will include vessels used for ceremonial practices and everyday use and pottery that boldly illustrates the immense skill of the native peoples in using animal designs and images. These magnificent pieces communicate the celebration of distinct animal capabilities, like the stealth of the jaguar, the graceful agility of the hummingbird, the quickness and cleverness of the coyote, and much more.

Exhibition overview from museum website