Mariage des Mexicains. / Ceremonies que les Mexicains pratiquent a l’egard de leurs Enfans.

Title

Mariage des Mexicains. / Ceremonies que les Mexicains pratiquent a l’egard de leurs Enfans.

Description

View shows two scenes in Mexico. Upper view shows a wedding of the Mexicans, lower shows ceremonies performed by the Mexicans on their children. French edition "Ceremonies et coutumes Religieuses." (French edition 1721-1725).

c. 1723

Artist

Picart (1673-1733)

Bernard Picart (also Pikahr) (1673-1733) was a French engraver and book illustrator. In 696 he went to the Academy in Antwerp and in 1698 to Amsterdam, where he worked as a book illustrator. His most distinguished works include the portrait of his father, Prince Eugene, the child murder and the engravings for the Traité des cérémonies religieuses de toutes les nations. His engravings of the gems in the collection of Baron von Stosch, which, unlike other works of the time, were very faithful to the original, are also known.

Historical Description

The Spanish first learned of Mexico during the Juan de Grijalva expedition of 1518. The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire began in February 1519 when Hernán Cortés arrived at the port in Veracruz with ca. 500 conquistadores. After taking control of that city, he moved on to the Aztec capital. In his search for gold and other riches, Cortés decided to invade and conquer the Aztec empire. When the Spaniards arrived, the ruler of the Aztec empire was Moctezuma II, who was later killed. His successor and brother Cuitláhuac took control of the Aztec empire, but was among the first to fall from the first smallpox epidemic in the area a short time later. The capture of Tenochtitlan and refounding of Mexico City in 1521 was the beginning of a 300-year-long colonial era during which Mexico was known as Nueva España (New Spain). The Kingdom of New Spain was created from the remnants of the Aztec hegemonic empire. Subsequent enlargements, such as the conquest of the Tarascan state, resulted in the creation of the Viceroyalty of New Spain in 1535. The Viceroyalty at its greatest extent included the territories of modern Mexico, Central America as far south as Costa Rica, and the western United States. The Viceregal capital Mexico City also administrated the Spanish West Indies (the Caribbean), the Spanish East Indies (the Philippines), and Spanish Florida.