Plumed Serpent 19th-20th century

Curator: Joseph Smith’s "Plumed Serpent" at the Harvard Art Museums—it's a piece that really grabs you, doesn't it? Editor: It does! The monochrome palette makes it feel almost like a faded memory, yet the serpent's open mouth is so present, so powerful. I wonder about the context... Curator: Well, “Plumed Serpent” invokes Quetzalcoatl, a Mesoamerican deity embodying wisdom and the elements. Smith's choice to depict it, I think, speaks to a fascination with ancient mythologies. Editor: Perhaps. Or could it be about the place of such artifacts within museum culture and the politics of display? How does an ancient symbol translate when it becomes an object in our Western gaze? Curator: That’s a valid point. Still, its elemental nature shines through, even in monochrome. There is an undeniable beauty in its form that I find evocative. Editor: I agree, but it's also worth questioning what that beauty serves when removed from its original sacred place. Regardless, this piece certainly offers a lot to consider.