Project 4B

Title: Malinche Tlaxcala
Weblink: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Malinche_Tlaxcala.jpg

La malinche is shown next to Cortes as a translator between the Spanish conquistadors and the native people of MExico. She is very important in the communication, and colonization of Mexico by the Europeans. The change and formation of Latin America that came about threw the colonization of Latin AMerica is very significant to understanding contemporary Latin America and how that came to be.

Observation:
In the artwork, the Europens are behind Cortes with armor, shields and weapons while La Malinche is in between them and the native americans. They appear as if they are willing to accept the Europeans and as if they are ofering gifts and hospitatlyity to them by their gestures and body language. The Europeans on the other hand seem as if they have other intentions than to just live peacefully with the natives by their facial expressions and the pointing finger of Cortes to the natives as if saying "go conquer." The work is painting which is very simple with bold lines of black on a white paper. The techniques are just bold smooth lines with little shading, just simply outlines of people and features.

Interpretation:
The artwork is about the natives offering bread and animals, while the Europens with thier weapons and angry expressions look as if they do not intend of being peaceful.

Judgement:
I was interested in the way that La Malinche would be portrayed. I also was interestedin the way the natives had no weapons while the Europens in the picture had shield and spears and appeared with very hostile expressions. Also, Cortes is seated and is looking at the natives is a sort of condescending manner. Ther artwork is very simple and easy to understand and kind of envokes pity into me for the natives.

I would like to know what the horses symbolize. There is also a little mountain in the background and I question if that mountain is significant. I also would like to know whether this meeting between the indigenous natives and Europeans was a famous meeting or just a casual or typical meeting.