Class Year
2025
Document Type
Student Research Paper
Date of Creation
Spring 2025
Department 1
Art
Abstract
This paper focuses on an object with many titles: Moctezuma’s Headdress, El Penacho or Kopilli Ketzalli. These names, in English, Spanish and Nahuatl, perfectly highlight the way colonialism has affected the discourse around it. The piece was initially taken during the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century and shipped to Vienna, where it has remained ever since. Through analysis of historical sources and modern discussions, I will address how this object has been treated poorly throughout history, from the initial seizure, to its time in storage where it was improperly researched and labeled, the many conservations it has endured, as well as the current discussions around repatriation and proper respect of this historically relevant piece. Ultimately, this paper argues that Kopilli Ketzalli is not a static artifact, but a living symbol of cultural identity, which has been improperly handled and researched for centuries.
Copyright Note
This is the author's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution.
Recommended Citation
Heiland, Natalie, "El Penacho de Moctezuma or Kopilli Ketzalli?: A Study of Colonialism & Featherwork" (2025). Student Publications. 1152.
https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/student_scholarship/1152
Included in
Art and Materials Conservation Commons, Latin American History Commons, Museum Studies Commons
Comments
Written for ARTH 400: Seminar in Art History.