Aztec Art and the Fragility of Empire

Aztec Art and the Fragility of Empire

Lecture
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Art Institute of Chicago, Fullerton Hall
Add to Calendar 0219-10-31 18:09:24 2019-10-31 19:00:00 Aztec Art and the Fragility of Empire The Aztec people created art that drew on the Mesoamerican past, citing works from the ancient cities of Teotihuacan and Tula to give authority and legitimacy to the new empire. This provoked reflection on the inevitable end of empire and the cyclical nature of time, themes that are especially relevant this year, which is the five hundredth anniversary of the Spanish invasion of Mexico. In this illustrated lecture, Claudia Brittenham, University of Chicago, discusses how Aztec art reflects this engagement with the historical past. Art Institute of Chicago, Fullerton Hall Department of Art History drupal@seastar.uchicago.edu America/Chicago public
Coronation Stone of Motecuhzoma II (Stone of the Five Suns), 1503 Aztec (Mexica)

The Aztec people created art that drew on the Mesoamerican past, citing works from the ancient cities of Teotihuacan and Tula to give authority and legitimacy to the new empire. This provoked reflection on the inevitable end of empire and the cyclical nature of time, themes that are especially relevant this year, which is the five hundredth anniversary of the Spanish invasion of Mexico.

In this illustrated lecture, Claudia Brittenham, University of Chicago, discusses how Aztec art reflects this engagement with the historical past.