The first lecture, on Sep 14, will focus on the art and architecture of the Aztecs, who flourished in what is now Central Mexico from approximately 1350 to 1521. Using the broader context of the Aztecs’ complex and sophisticated society as a framework, the talk will highlight key examples of Aztec sculpture, illustrated codices and urban planning, including Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire (now Mexico City).

The second lecture, on Sep 21, will begin with the arrival of the Spanish in Tenochtitlan in 1521, and the impact their conquest had on art and architecture throughout the remainder of the sixteenth century. How did native artists incorporate European styles, imagery and materials into their work? How did they resist their Spanish Colonial rulers?