The Paradise Garden Murals of Malinalco : Utopia and Empire in Sixteenth-Century Mexico

The valley of Malinalco, Mexico, long renowned for its monolithic Aztec temples, is a microcosm of the historical changes that occurred in the centuries preceding and following the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century. In particular, the garden frescoes uncovered in 1974 at the Augustinian monastery of Malinalco document the collision of the European search for Utopia with the reality of colonial life. In this study, Jeanette F. Peterson examines the murals within the dual heritage of pre-Hispanic and European muralism to reveal how the wall paintings promoted the political and religious agendas of the Spanish conquerors while preserving a record of pre-Columbian rituals and imagery. She finds that the utopian themes portrayed at Malinalco and other Augustinian monasteries were integrated into a religious and political ideology that, in part, camouflaged the harsh realities of colonial policies toward the native population. That the murals were ultimately whitewashed at the end of the sixteenth century suggests that the "spiritual conquest" failed. Peterson argues that the incorporation of native features ultimately worked to undermine the orthodoxy of the Christian message. She places the murals' imagery within the pre-Columbian tlacuilo (scribe-painter) tradition, traces a "Sahagún connection" between the Malinalco muralists and the native artists working at the Franciscan school of Tlatelolco, and explores mural painting as an artistic response to acculturation. The book is beautifully illustrated with 137 black-and-white figures, including photographs and line drawings. For everyone interested in the encounter between European and Native American cultures, it will be essential reading. Winner, Charles Rufus Morey Award, 1993 The valley of Malinalco, Mexico, long renowned for its monolithic Aztec temples, is a microcosm of the historical changes that occurred in the centuries preceding and following the Spanish conquest in the sixteenth century. In particular, the garden frescoes uncovered in 1974 at the Augustinian monastery of Malinalco document the collision of the European search for Utopia with the reality of colonial life. In this study, Jeanette F. Peterson examines the murals within the dual heritage of pre-Hispanic and European muralism to reveal how the wall paintings promoted the political and religious agendas of the Spanish conquerors while preserving a record of pre-Columbian rituals and imagery. She finds that the utopian themes portrayed at Malinalco and other Augustinian monasteries were integrated into a religious and political ideology that, in part, camouflaged the harsh realities of colonial policies toward the native population. That the murals were ultimately whitewashed at the end of the sixteenth century suggests that the'spiritual conquest'failed. Peterson argues that the incorporation of native features ultimately worked to undermine the orthodoxy of the Christian message. She places the murals'imagery within the pre-Columbian tlacuilo (scribe-painter) tradition, traces a'Sahagún connection'between the Malinalco muralists and the native artists working at the Franciscan school of Tlatelolco, and explores mural painting as an artistic response to acculturation. The book is beautifully illustrated with 137 black-and-white figures, including photographs and line drawings. For everyone interested in the encounter between European and Native American cultures, it will be essential reading. Ch. 1. Introduction -- Ch. 2. Malinalco And The Augustinians. Conquest And Control Of Malinalco. The Augustinian Program. Construction Of The Monastery Of Malinalco -- Ch. 3. The Painters. European And Native Painting Styles. The Artistic Team And The Tlacuilo. Training Of Native Artists -- Ch. 4. The Sources. Pre-hispanic And Spanish Mural Precedents. Illustrated Books And Graphics. Verdure And Armorial Tapestry -- Ch. 5. The Imagery: Flora And Fauna. Flora Identified. Fauna Identified. Meaning Of Flora And Fauna -- Ch. 6. Paradise Converged. Gardens And Curing. Gardens As Cosmic Paradigms. Gardens As Paradise -- Ch. 7. Utopia And Imperial Policy. The New World As A Terrestrial Paradise. Patronage And Program. Mendicant Dominion And Heraldry In The Garden Murals -- Ch. 8. The Augustinian Mural Program. Public And Private Zones In The Monastery. The Malinalco Mural Program. Augustinian Eschatological Murals -- Ch. 9. Utopia Lost. Mendicant Decline. Whitewashing The Murals. Appendix A Sixteenth-century Mexican Monasteries Visited -- Appendix B Fifteenth- And Early Sixteenth-century Murals In Spain -- Appendix C Flora In The Malinalco Garden Frescoes -- Appendix D Fauna In The Malinalco Garden Frescoes -- Appendix E Sixteenth-century Mural Themes In Mexico And Primary Monastic Locations. Jeanette Favrot Peterson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 189-216) And Index. Frontmatter PREFACE (page ix) Chapter One INTRODUCTION (page 1) Chapter Two MALINALCO AND THE AUGUSTINIANS (page 11) Chapter Three THE PAINTERS (page 29) Chapter Four THE SOURCES (page 57) Chapter Five THE IMAGERY: FLORA AND FAUNA (page 83) Chapter Six PARADISE CONVERGED (page 124) Chapter Seven UTOPIA AND IMPERIAL POLICY (page 138) Chapter Eight THE AUGUSTINIAN MURAL PROGRAM (page 152) Chapter Nine UTOPIA LOST (page 171) Appendix A SIXTEENTH-CENTURY MEXICAN MONASTERIES VISITED (page 179) Appendix B FIFTEENTH- AND EARLY SIXTEENTH-CENTURY MURALS IN SPAIN (page 180) Appendix C FLORA IN THE MALINALCO GARDEN FRESCOES (page 182) Appendix D FAUNA IN THE MALINALCO GARDEN FRESCOES (page 185) Appendix E SIXTEENTH-CENTURY MURAL THEMES IN MEXICO AND PRIMARY MONASTIC LOCATIONS (page 187) NOTES (page 189) REFERENCES CITED (page 205) INDEX (page 217)