[WIP flats] Rage of Moquihuixtli (Patreon)

The flat colors are done! Not gonna lie, I’m dreading the shading because of the sheer details I have to work on. But I’ll do my best to finish it, as this illustration was supposed to be completed last month.

I incorporated a lot of details for symbolism and historical context. Let’s start with the background. The Nahua ruler’s throne, called tepotzoicpalli, was made of woven reeds. Sometimes cotton fabric or animal skin was placed on them as comforters. I’m still unsure if I should put them on the throne.

The lords sitting next to the throne are the highest officials of the city-state. The ones in the drawing are Tlacateccatl, Tlacochcalcatl, and Ezhuahuacatl, from left to right. Their attire is based on the Codex Mendoza. Mexica government had a supreme council of four dignitaries. They were the closest advisors of the king and Cihuacoatl (prime minister). Although Tlacateccatl and Tlacochcalcatl are most frequently mentioned, the dignitaries that comprised this supreme council varies depending on the source. The only consistant thing was that they were four. The Codex Florentine, which used Tlatelolca sources, mentions that Huitznahuatlailotlac (another name for Huitznahuatl) was part of this supreme council. This might explain why Huitznahuatl Teconal wielded the strongest power in Tlatelolco.

A large tapestry with a sun disk design hangs on the wall behind the throne. The design of this sun is based on Codex Tudela. Each corner of the textile features name glyphs of Tlatelolca rulers: Cuacuapitzahuac, Tlacateotl, Cuauhtlatoa, and Moquihuix.

Each side of this wall is adorned with murals of deities and shields. The chimalli (shield) mural is inspired by the murals from Tehuacan Viejo. Chicahuaztli staff and banners cross diagonally behind each shield. Chicahuaztli is a rattle staff of the god Xipe Totec. Xipe Totec was associated with agricultural renewal and warfare, and was one of the patron deities of Mexica rulers.

Although they are not very visible because of the lack of shading, the three shields that are closest to the throne are actual shields placed over the mural. Some Spanish accounts mention that ornate shields were hung on the wall for decorative purposes. The shields that I chose are the ones that Moquihuixtli himself is holding in codices such as Codex Cozcatzin.

On the right side of the drawing, huge curtains are placed between each pillar. Mesoamerican buildings lacked doors, so they used curtains to separate the space. This design, based on Codex Tudela, has a colorful ilhuitl (‘day’) glyph. The guard in front of these pillars is wearing a “flaming coyote (tlecoyotl)” suit based on Codex Matritenses. These red ‘flames’ were probably dyed textile or feather tassels.

The clothing of other nobles is based on various codices, such as Codex Mendoza, Magliabechiano, Tepetlaoztoc, Ixtlilxochitl, and Matrícula de Tributos. The opossum and xoloitzcuintli dog are sporting an hairstyle of the cuachic warriors. They shaved their head, leaving a crest of hair on the center like a mohawk. Although they usually wore the netted cloak called chalcayatl, some pictorial evidence depicts cuachicqueh wearing cotton cloaks like the other warriors.

The two standing nobles who are seemingly upset represent the opposition of some Tlatelolca nobles. The figure on the left is inspired by the old nobleman named Cuacuauhtzin, who appears in Duran and Tezozomoc’s account. Duran describes him as “a great nobleman of Tlatelolco, an aged uncle of the king of Mexico-Tenochtitlan.” He begged Axayacatl to cease the battle after Moquihuix was killed. Cuacuauhtzin also claimed that he himself had no part in the war. Although it is possible that he was lying to save his own life, he could’ve been unsupportive about the war given that he was an uncle of the Tenochca king.

Cuacuauhtzin is wearing an eagle feather hair binder (cuauhtlalpiloni). This implies his status as an ‘old eagle,’ cuauhhuehuetque. They were veteran warriors who were too old to go into battle. Although the eagle feather tassel wasn’t exclusively worn by old warriors, it did denote military prestige.

The noble next to him is wearing a cloak with a striking design. This design is prominently displayed in Codex Magliabechiano, occupying the entire page. The colors black and white divide the cloak diagonally, with a big turkey in the center. The bird’s body is pierced by a reed, to which it is tied by its neck and legs. These ropes are covered in white down feathers, which are worn by sacrificial victims. On the white side of the cloak, there are eight obsidian arrowheads alluding the war. A roaring fire design is on the black side.

Therefore, this design may allude to a sacrifice to the fire god Xiuhtecuhtli, with the heavy martial undertone. It is also worth noting that in Nahua culture, turkeys were often associated with nobility. So, this cloak not only serves as an allegory for the impending war, it also implies that many Tlatelolca nobles, including Moquihuix and Teconal, will be killed in battle.

Lastly, the brazier near these nobles contains another easter egg. The glyph on the square panel is ‘Seven House’ (chicome calli, 1473), the name of the year that this war took place. The original tripod brazier at the Metropolitan Museum bears the year glyph Four Reed (1431), so I altered it to match the year.