Frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza



Frontispiece of the Codex Mendoza. Viceroyalty of New Spain. c. 1541–1542 C.E. Ink and color on paper.

  • ANTONIO DE MENDOZA; FIRST VICEROY OF NEW SPAIN; COMMISSIONED A CODEX TO RECORD INFORMATION ABOUT THE AZTEC EMPIRE; CONTAINED INFO ABOUT THE LORDS OF TENOCHTITLAN; TRIBUTES OF THE AZTECS, ACCOUNTS OF YEARLY LIFE  
  • ARTISTS WERE INDIGENOUS; ANNOTATED BY A SPANISH PRIEST; MEANT TO BE SENT TO CROWN, STOLEN BY FRENCH PIRATES
  • CONTAINS INFO ABOUT AZTEC RELIGION, HISTORY AND CULTURE
  • ORGANIZATION AND FOUNDATION OF AZTEC EMPIRE CAPITAL
  • DIVISION OF COVER MEANT TO MIRROR ORGANIZATION OF THE UNIVERSE IN QUADRANTS; HIERATIC SCALE, GEOMETRIC SHAPES
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