Torture of Cuauhtemoc by Leandro Izaguirre.

This is one of my favorite paintings from the reading this week. One of the things that I most amazed about was that it was painted for the Chicago world fair in 1893. Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. I feel that 70 years after gaining their independence Leandro is trying to show to the whole world that Mexicans still have a connection to their roots. The book mentions that it was also a form of rebellion against the corrupt government practices at the time. I imagine that in a time without the communication advantages that we have today (i.e. internet, cell phones, computers etc.) it must have been a striking image to see this painting. I wonder how many people were aware of what had happened several hundred years before. I would bet that paintings like these sparked an interest in not only art but also history.

My favorite part of this painting is the main character Cuauhtemoc. He is tied up and the Spaniards are burning his feet. I love the expression on his face. To me it is not one of pain or suffering. He is staring directly into the face of the Spanish captain with a look of defiance and pride. It helps me to realize how great of a warrior he must have been if hundreds of years later he is still painted with such qualities. The other Indians face breaks my heart. In my opinion his face isn't expressing pain as much as it is an expression of compassion for his warrior leader. It's almost like he is trying to tell his leader to just give in so that the suffering will stop. I also think that it is very interesting that both Indians are being tortured on top of Aztec ruins. In conclusion I loved the manner that the painting shares a little of the history of the conquest.