Comprehensive Study Notes on Aztec Art and the Fragility of Empire

Introduction to the Lecture

  • Gratitude and Introduction:

    • Jeff Nigro expresses gratitude to the audience for attending the lecture.

    • He is a research associate in the Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art at the Art Institute and administers the Bo shell Foundation Lecture Series.

  • Sponsorship Acknowledgment:

    • Special thanks to the Bo shell Family Foundation, notably Ned and Rinette Bo shell, for sponsoring this series which aims to stimulate interest in the arts and cultures of the ancient world.

    • The Bo shell Foundation Lecture Series has typically focused on the arts and cultures of the ancient Mediterranean but will this evening diverge from that norm.

  • Focus of the Evening Lecture:

    • The topic relates to the 500th anniversary of Hernán Cortés's arrival in Mexico, prompting exploration into the indigenous civilizations flourishing before European contact.

    • Emphasis on representing a diversity of voices, specifically looking at the perspectives of indigenous cultures.

Speaker Introduction

  • Claudia Brittenham:

    • Associate Professor of Art History, University of Chicago.

    • Specializes in the art of ancient Mesoamerica.

    • Author of "Murals of Cacaxtla: The Power of Painting in Ancient Mexico" (2015) and is currently working on a book titled "Unseen Art: Vision and Memory in Ancient Mesoamerica."

    • She is involved with multiple academic initiatives relating to ancient art and Mexican studies.

    • Noted for discussing how the Aztec civilization drew inspiration from earlier civilizations.

Topic of the Lecture

  • Title of Lecture: "Aztec Art and the Fragility of Empire."

Acknowledgment of Origins

  • Territorial Acknowledgment:

    • The audience is gathered on traditional territory of the Council of the Three Fires: Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations.

    • Chicago is recognized as home to many Native American groups and has a vibrant Native American community today.

Connection to the Aztec Empire

  • Geographical Context:

    • Discussion centers on the Aztec Empire based in Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City.

    • Visualization of historical networks and cultural exchanges between regions, hypothesizing interconnections.

    • Noting the significance of the year 2019 for various anniversaries, particularly the 1619 arrival of enslaved Africans in Jamestown and the 1519 Spanish arrival in Mexico.

Encounter Between Cultures

  • Indigenous Perspective on Spanish Arrival:

    • Reference to the Florentine Codex detailing indigenous views of the Spanish encounter, authored by Bernardino de Sahagún alongside indigenous collaborators.

    • Contemplation of the first moments of contact between Mesoamerican cultures and European explorers, specifically Hernán Cortés.

  • Cortés's Journey:

    • November 18, 1518: Cortés sails from Cuba to Mexico, with significant events occurring in 1519, including the founding of Veracruz and encounters with Aztec emissaries.

    • Mention of Malinche, an enslaved woman who served as a translator and played a crucial role in the conquest.

    • Aztec empires had existing rivalries which Cortés exploited for alliances.

The Spanish Conquest

  • Cortés’s Military Campaign:

    • By September 1519, entering the Altépelt de Tlaxcala, Cortés builds alliances against the Aztecs, leading to conflicts at Cholula where a massacre occurs, solidifying indigenous alliances through violence.

  • Montezuma’s Capture:

    • Arriving at Tenochtitlan in November 1519, underwhelming initially; soon the political dynamics shift as Montezuma is taken hostage.

    • Montezuma’s death is debated, with various accounts on whether he was killed by his people or the Spanish overlords.

Concept of Omens

  • Cultural Significance of Omens:

    • Post-invasion traditions emerge, highlighting omens seen prior to Spanish arrival.

    • Aztecs are depicted as prepared for cyclical destruction, as inferred from their histories, suggesting a cultural narrative about constant renewal.

Cosmology of the Aztecs

  • Aztec Cosmology Representation:

    • Discussion about the Calendar Stone or Sun Stone depicting multiple eras of creation.

    • Each represented 'Sun' correlating with destructive myths, emphasizing cycles of birth, death, and rebirth in Aztec thought.

    • Significant importance placed on divine cycles affecting their understanding of historical and cultural identity.

Artistic Representation and Dialogue Across Cultures

  • Artistic Practices:

    • Examination of artistic objects, including the practice of underscribing details on sculptures, indicating histories linked to earlier civilizations, such as Teotihuacan and Tula.

    • Art as a medium reflecting rich relationships between visible and invisible narratives in history.

Historical Engagement and Legacy

  • Complementary Dialogues with the Past:

    • The audience sees a continuous exploration in Aztec art forms that show both reverence for and reinterpretation of preexisting cultural emblems, suggesting engagements with the legacies they inherited.

    • Illustrations in the Florentine Codex imagined a sixth cosmic creation, intertwining indigenous survival with colonial narratives.

Conclusion of the Lecture

  • Resilience Against Oppression:

    • A metaphor regarding the cultural resilience of indigenous history and memory amidst colonization and contemporary reinterpretations.

    • The lecture closes with an invitation for questions and further dialogue on the subject matter.