Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler
Supported by ArcelorMittal
24 September 2009 – 24 January 2010
Completing its series of exhibitions exploring power and empire,
the British Museum focuses on the last elected Aztec Emperor,
Moctezuma II. Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler is the first
exhibition to examine the semi-mythical status of Moctezuma and his
legacy today. Loans of iconic material from Mexico and Europe will
be displayed, most for the first time in this country. The
exhibition anticipates the anniversaries in 2010 of the
Independence of Mexico (1810) and of the Mexican Revolution
(1910).
Moctezuma (reigned 1502-1520) inherited and
then consolidated Aztec control over a politically complex
empire that by the early 16th century stretched from the
shores of Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico. Moctezuma was
regarded as a semi- divine figure by his subjects charged with the
task of interceding with the gods. As a battle-hardened general he
was appointed supreme military commander and headed the two most
prestigious warriors orders: the eagle and jaguar warriors.
He was elected as Ruling Lord (huey tlatoani) in 1502,
built a new palace in the heart of Tenochtitlan (modern
day Mexico City) and restructured the court. The arrival of
the Spanish, during Moctezuma’s reign, witnessed the collapse of
the native world order and the imposition of a new civilization
that gave birth to modern Mexico.
Uniquely, the exhibition will present a
biographical narrative of Moctezuma II and reveal the dual nature
of his reputation. On the one hand, he is recognised as a
successful and cunning warrior but he is also widely perceived as a
tragic figure who ceded his empire to foreigners. Divergent
interpretations of his mysterious death will be re-examined in the
exhibition.
The exhibition will present masterpieces of
Aztec culture including the impressive stone monument known as the
Teocalli of Sacred Warfare, amongst other works commissioned by
Moctezuma himself which bear his image and his name glyph. An
exquisite turquoise mask and goldwork will showcase the consummate
craftsmanship of artisans employed in the Aztec court and masterly
paintings known as “Enconchados” (oil paintings on wooden panels
with inlaid Mother of Pearl detail) portray the events of the
conquest in vivid detail. Idealized European portraits of Moctezuma
and stunning colonial Codices have helped shape our interpretations
of Moctezuma and his world.
The exhibition is supported by ArcelorMittal
and has been conceived in partnership with the National Institute
for Anthropology and History (INAH), Mexico City. Additional
support has been given by the airline partner, Mexicana.
To book tickets phone +44 (0)20 7323 8181 or book online
For further information or images please contact Esme Wilson on
+44 (0)20 7323 8394 or ewilson@britishmuseum.org
About the exhibition
The exhibition tells the story of Moctezuma II, the last elected
ruler of the Aztecs, more correctly known now as the Mexica. From
1502 until 1520 he presided over a large empire embracing much of
what is today central Mexico. This exhibition examines his life,
reign and controversial death during the Spanish conquest.
The Spanish arrived on Mexican shores in 1519, led by Hernan
Cortes. They were initially well received in the Aztec capital, but
distrust and violence ensued. Moctezuma was captured and met his
death shortly afterwards. Overcoming resistance, the Spanish went
on to conquer his empire. Moctezuma’s life and dramatic death are
explained through objects ranging, from sculpture, gold and mosaic
items to codices and European paintings. The objects are drawn from
Mexican, European, US collections and the British Museum’s own
collection.
Introduction
According to myth, the ‘Aztecs’ were the ruling lords in the
land of ‘Aztlan’. One subject group managed to escape their rule
and began a long migration, adopting the name ‘Mexica’. The Mexica
settled in the Basin of Mexico, founding their capital Tenochtitlan
in about 1200. They spoke Nahuatl, one of many indigenous
languages. ‘Aztec’ has been popularly but incorrectly used to
describe the Mexica civilisation since the 1800s. The name ‘Mexica’
(pronounced ‘Mesheeka’) was recognised by the conquering Spanish,
hence the name for modern Mexico.
Moctezuma’s fame is more celebrated in Europe than in Mexico
itself. The exhibition opens with an idealised European portrait of
Moctezuma from the 1600s. It is accompanied by a stone box that was
owned by Moctezuma. This bears his identifying name-glyph, which
will be encountered again in later sections. The exhibition will
reveal what we know of Moctezuma’s life before the arrival of the
Spanish.
The Aztecs (Mexica)
The Mexica capital city, Tenochtitlan, was located on an island
set in Lake Tetzcoco in the Basin of Mexico. The first section of
the exhibition looks at the foundation myth and features objects
relating to this mythology, including a greenstone heart and a
large eagle sculpture. From its beginnings in about 1300,
Tenochtitlan rapidly grew to become a thriving metropolis.
Moctezuma was the last in a long line of Aztec rulers and lived in
a palace adjacent to the main ceremonial precinct in the heart of
Tenochtitlan. His immediate predecessor was his uncle
Ahuitzotl.
Moctezuma as ruler
Moctezuma is introduced through his coronation stone. We will
explain how, once nominated to succeed his uncle, he had to prove
himself through military campaign before being formally invested.
At his coronation in 1502 he was given the insignia of office
including treasured turquoise and gold items of personal adornment.
Moctezuma built a new palace to administer the empire and lived
there with his wives, children and the courtly entourage. A number
of architectural fragments from the palace excavations will be on
display.
Religion and the gods
Moctezuma was a vital intermediary with the Mexica gods and was
himself regarded by his subjects as a semi-divine figure. He
worshipped at the Great Temple, a huge stepped pyramid in the heart
of the ritual centre of Tenochtitlan. We will display a model that
will show the Temple and other ritual buildings. Moctezuma would
have carried out blood-letting rituals, and ordered the sacrifice
of captives. We will examine the most important gods, including
Quetzalcoatl. It is a popularly held belief that Moctezuma
considered Cortes to be a personification of the returning deity
Quetzalcoatl, although this has been challenged by recent
scholarship. The end of the section focuses on the New Fire
Ceremony. This marked the end of a 52-year period in the Mexica
calendrical cycle that occurred during Moctezuma’s reign and can be
dated to 1508.
Warfare and empire
Moctezuma was a formidable warrior and head of the Mexica army.
We will display a range of ceremonial weaponry as well as an
imposing monument sculpted with Mexica warriors. Particularly
important was the site of Malinalco, where the elite Jaguar and
Eagle warriors were based. Moctezuma consolidated the Mexica empire
and secured tribute, or taxes, that poured into Tenochtitlan.
Exacting tribute in the form of raw materials or crafted goods
contributed to the opulence of the court but meant that Moctezuma
was feared and resented among subject towns.
Conquest
The Spaniard Hernan Cortes landed on the coast in 1519 along
with a few hundred men. At the same time, the Mexica are said to
have witnessed strange omens and signs that are later depicted in
the codices. Moctezuma sent emissaries to the coast with gifts for
Cortes. Cortes forged alliances with bitter rival of the Mexica in
the course of his march to Tenochtitlan. Moctezuma greeted Cortes
but made the fatal mistake of allowing the Spanish into
Tenochtitlan and housing them in a palace. The Spanish captured
Moctezuma and unrest broke out in the city following a massacre of
Mexica nobles by the Spanish. Shortly afterwards Moctezuma died –
and it is widely believed that he was stoned to death by his own
people. However, other sources claim that he was in fact secretly
murdered by the Spanish. The main events of the conquest are
documented by a series of colonial paintings.
Moctezuma in history
After Moctezuma’s death, the Spanish conquered the Mexica empire
with assistance from Moctezuma’s enemies. We will display items
that were later repurposed by the Spanish, such as a serpent
sculpture that was inverted to form a baptismal font. Moctezuma’s
daughters Isabel and Mariana and son Pedro survived the conquest.
Codices show how they went to Spain and intermarried with the
nobility there. Moctezuma has an ambivalent reputation within
Mexico today, but his fame lived on as a figure of fascination
within Europe. The exhibition ends with European portraits of
Moctezuma. There depict him as a once-proud warrior and tragic
figure who surrendered his empire but whose fame live on.
Notes to Editors
Tickets are now available to book, telephone
020 7323 8181 or book online
To coincide with the exhibition there will be
a free related display in our Prints and Drawings gallery (Room 90)
looking at modern Mexican prints called Revolution on
Paper: Mexican Prints 1910-1960 (22 October 2009 - 28
February 2010).
The exhibition will be the first ever in
Europe focusing on the great age of Mexican printmaking in the
first half of the twentieth century. Between 1910 and 1920 the
country was convulsed by the first socialist revolution, from which
emerged a strong left-wing government that laid great stress on art
as a vehicle for promoting the values of the revolution. This led
to a pioneering programme to cover the walls of public buildings
with vast murals, and later to setting up print workshops to
produce works for mass distribution and education. Some of the
finest of these prints were produced by the three great men of
Mexican art of the period: Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco and
David Alfaro Siqueiros. The exhibition will also include earlier
works around the turn of the century by the popular engraver, José
Guadalupe Posada, who was adopted by the revolutionaries as the
archetypal printmaker who worked for the people, and whose macabre
dances of skeletons have always fascinated Europeans. Supported by
The Monument Trust and the Mexico Tourism Board.
A full public programme will accompany the
exhibition. More information is available from the press
office.
An accompanying catalogue will be published by
British Museum Press. ‘Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler’ edited by
Colin McEwan and Leonardo López Luján costs £40 (hardback) and
£25(paperback) and will be available from August 2009.
About ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal is the world's leading steel
company, with operations in more than 60 countries and
approximately 10% of global steel manufacturing capacity. We are
the leader in all major global steel markets, including automotive,
construction, household appliances and packaging. We have been
active in Mexico since 1992 when we acquired Sibalsa in Lázáro
Cardenas, followed in 2006 by Sicartsa. We also run steel
production and mining at an additional six sites in the country.
Mexico is an important country for us and we have ambitious long
term growth plans in the region.
Through our core values of sustainability,
quality and leadership, we are committed to operating responsibly
with respect to the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees,
contractors and the communities in which we operate. Support of a
broad range of societal activity is an important part of this. We
are also committed to the sustainable management of the environment
and of finite resources, recognising that we have a significant
responsibility to tackle the global climate change challenge.
For more information about ArcelorMittal visit: http://www.arcelormittal.com/
About Mexicana
As part of its commitment to linking
Mexico to the entire world, in fall 2009 Grupo Mexicana will
be the airline partner for the exhibition of the Aztec Emperor
Moctezuma II in coordination with one of the most renowned
institutions of History in Europe, the British Museum.
The exhibition will enable visitors to learn about
Moctezuma II’s leadership, his great influence on the Aztec people,
and the wealth of Mexican history, which we all feel proud of.
For more information about Mexicana airline visit: http://www.mexicana.com/