Aztec Art Aztec Art Themes, Styles, Designs and Symbolism, History and Facts
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Depiction of emperors was also common with their semi-divine qualities since emperors were considered descendants of gods. Some works of Aztec art such as Quetzal feathers were exclusively reserved for the rulers and the high priests. Other symbols included the frog which represented joy, butterflies which represented transformation and the monkey which represented dance and celebration. These were used to make jewelry of a variety of kind which was mainly but not exclusively used by the nobility. Other metals commonly used in Aztec art included copper, shells, clay, wood, and obsidian.
Social and political continuity and change
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An example of this is the Calendar Stone which makes use of a geometrical symmetry in a circular structure to show the reign of Five Sun Gods. Houses were uniform throughout most of the empire, only varying in size and ornamentation.
The Role of Art as Propaganda: Aztec Art
Aztec clothing designs were very significant in that they defined the social status of the wearer. Aztec pictures include complex geometrical designs alongside the pictures of different animals such as jaguar, fish, birds, snakes and monkeys. Most of the animals used in Aztec pictures are related to their belief system and symbolised something of a belief. In the Valley of Mexico, where the Aztec Empire was born, tribes from the north of Mexico had been coming and settling since the 6th century.
Types of Aztec Artworks
However, the pyramids themselves existed before the Aztec’s and these pyramids were renovated and converted into grand temples by the Aztec’s. An example is the Great Pyramid of Cholula whose construction began in the 3rd century BC and it was completed around the 9th century AD. The pyramids assumed increasing importance in Aztec religion and meticulous care was taken in their being the correct dimensions and well proportioned since astrology was important in Aztec religion. Wright's Hollyhock House on Olive Hill in Los Angeles copied the shape of temples from Palenque, and the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo was in the shape of a Mesoamerican pyramid. His Ennis House, Millard House (La Miniatura), Storer House, and Freeman House in Los Angeles are built in his concrete textile block system, with bas reliefs and modular unit construction evoking the geometric patterning on the façades of Uxmal buildings.
The Aztecs ruled much of central Mexico from the 14th to the 16th centuries, when they were defeated by Spanish conquistadors. Yet, understanding the Aztec Empire requires first understanding their relationships to other Mesoamerican peoples who came before them, as well as the impact these individuals had on the Aztec empire. One of the most visible links between the Aztecs and the other Mesoamerican cultures may be seen in art. The Aztec Empire is notable for many things, including the wonderful art and creative products made by the Aztecs. Aztec ancient art was greatly inspired by the Aztec people’s religious and cultural rituals. The Aztecs’ sculptures fared better, and their subjects were frequently persons from the vast pantheon of deities they worshiped.
Aztec temples located at the top of Aztec pyramids were called “Teocalli” which means “God houses”. Aztec priests managed these temples which were used for worship, prayers, and various offering to the gods, including human sacrifice. The main religious building of the capital of Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan, was Templo Mayor.
Art Periods – A Detailed Look at the Art History Timeline
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The designs of the Aztecs were often circular or rectangular, the patterns usually made use of recurring geometric symbols while the type was nearly always religious, or having a connection to the Mayans gods. Aztecs made use of various designs in their warrior drawings, paintings and the pictographs which often adorned the walls of their temples. Different designs were tattooed on the Aztec warriors, often depicting their accomplishments or depicting one of the many Aztec gods. Aztec architectural sites include Malinalco, Tenayuca, conquered by the Aztec circa 1434.
Because the people were instructed to demolish it, they rather submerged it below the water table to spare it from destruction. On the 13th of August 1790, during the excavation of a water channel in Mexico City’s main plaza in front of the National Palace, the Coatlicue monument was originally unearthed. The sunstone was discovered around 100 feet distant a few months later, on the 17th of December 1790. Many lesser-known deities than Huitzilopochtli are represented in Aztec art, as are a considerable number of representations of environment and agricultural deities. The works of art of the river goddess Chalchiuhtlicue in ancient Tula are among the most renowned.
In 1991, Domingo recruited his children, Jaime and Brenda, to join the family business. Artists at heart, Jaime and Brenda channeled their collective creativity into a passion for beautifully crafted rugs and carpets. Today, the duo is the driving creative force at the helm of all company operations from design concepts to fabrication process and installation. Our highly selective and beautifully curated selection of woven products is the most comprehensive in the country, boasting pieces with both domestic and international origins.
Unfortunately, as with most other artefacts, these objects were melted down for currency, and so very few examples survive of the Aztecs' fine metalworking skills in gold and silver. They produced innovative works of Aztec art in the domains of architecture, sculpture, drawing, pottery, jewelry, and others. The most important influence on Aztec art was of religion and religious drawings were rich in symbolism.
Aztec strove to have bright-coloured designs made on their clothes and this was considered a status symbol. The Calendar stone, or the stone of Five Suns, is the most popular Aztec sculpture to have survived through the ages. The sculpture has a circular, geometric design and depicts the Five Sun Gods of the Aztec mythology. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. As one final example of the wealth of Aztec art which has survived the best destructive efforts of their conquerors, there is the life-sized eagle warrior from Tenochtitlan.
Religion was supremely important in Aztec society and the priestly class enjoyed the privileges on par with the nobility. The magnificent Aztec pyramids had religious motivation and at the top of these unique step pyramids, Aztec temples were made. The Aztecs built some of the most fascinating pyramids during the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries at the height of the Aztec Civilisation. This included the largest pyramid in the world by volume, the Great Pyramid of Cholula.
The creative spectrum was wide-ranging – from intricate metalwork to the crafting of jade, feathers, and turquoise. Military conquests played a crucial role in shaping Aztec art’s aesthetic language. As territories expanded under Aztec rule from Central Mexico to Guatemala’s fringes, so did artistic ideas and styles.
The city of Tenochtitlan, the heart of the Aztec Empire, was itself an architectural wonder proportionately divided into four parts. Aztec design artists were typically persons who were commissioned either by the state or the rich nobility to create pieces of art. Lower classes were forbidden to either create or own art, so the creation of art was regulated by the richer classes. Among the commonly used design colours by the Aztec, turquoise was the most popular. Other than turquoise, Aztec made use of many bright colours to adorn their designs. In earlier Aztec designs, geometric designs painted in different colours have been found.
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