The Greatness of Mexico

The recently discovered pre-Hispanic statue which was the topic of my last post is one of the objects on display in a special exhibit at the National Museum of Anthropology called "La Grandeza de Mexico" (The Greatness of Mexico).  

The exhibit contains an eclectic collection of more than 1,500 objects ranging from ancient pre-Hispanic pieces to twentieth century paintings.  What I did not realize is that the exhibit is split between two locations...  the Anthropology Museum as well as the Secretariat of Education in the Historic Center.  My time in Mexico is drawing to a close, but fortunately the exhibit will run until next March, so I will be able to see the other half on my next trip.

The exhibit is not arranged chronologically but by theme, so at times it seemed a bit disjointed.  However, it is full of interesting objects.

Here are a few of the items in the show...

Vase from the Teotihuacán culture (A.D. 400-700)

Statue of a goddess with a skirt of stars

from the Popoloca culture of the region of Tehuacán, Puebla

(14th century)

"The Valley of Mexico from the Peak of Tenango"

by José María Velasco, 1900

"The Mountains"

by Geraldo Murillo (better known by his pseudonym of "Dr. Atl"), 1933

Aztec brazier representing the god Tezcatlipoca (14th or 15th century)

This banner with the Virgin of Guadlupe, may be the actual banner carried by Miguel Hidalgo in 1810 as he led his troops in the War for Independence.

Ceramic representation of the bat god

of the Zapotec culture of Oaxaca  (A.D. 200 - 900)

A 20th century ceramic piece known as a "Tree of Life"

from the town of Metepec in the State of Mexico

The "Trees of Life" today represent a wide variety of themes, but this one is follows the original theme... depicting Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

"Brief Relation of the Destruction of the Indies" (1522)

This book, written by Friar Bartolomé de las Casa (often referred to as "The Protector of the Indians") exposed the atrocities committed by the Spanish upon the native population.

"St. Luke and the Virgin"

This anonymous 18th century picture is made out of birds' feathers, a technique which goes back to pre-Hispanic times.

"Juan Diego"

This anonymous 18th century painting shows the Indian Juan Diego.  Supposedly the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to him and told him to take roses to the Archbishop of Mexico.  He gathered the flowers in his cloak, and when he presented them to the Archbishop, the image of the Virgen was miraculously imprinted upon his cloak.

Tlazoltéoltl, the goddess of fertility

Veracruz state (A.D. 200-900)

"The Interior of a Hut"

a 19th century painting by Eduardo Pingret

"Portrait of the Antuñano Family"

by Pelegrín Clavé (1850)

"Father Hidalgo"

(the priest who began Mexico's War of Independence from Spain in 1810)

by Jesús Helguera (1969)

Notice the banner with the Virgin of Guadalupe which appears earlier in this post.

"José María Morelos"

19th century portrait by an anonymous artist

Morelos was another hero of Mexico's War of Independence from Spain.

"The Allegory of Construction"

by Saturnino Herrán (1910)

Olmec figure of a dancer

(2500 - 100 B.C.)

Quetzal dancer costume from the state of Puebla

"Emperor Cuauhtémoc"

by David Siqueiros (1946)

Cuauhtémoc was the last of the Aztec emperors.

Siqueiros was one of Mexico's leading 20th century mural painters.