Latin American Languages and Societies Commons^™

Colonial Maps And A Cartographic Reckoning In Post-Revolutionary Mexico City, Delia A. Cosentino

Artl@s Bulletin

By the 20^th century, 16th-century maps of Mexico City were not new, but their value was renewed by an urban elite grappling with the nation's historical geography. The capital saw fresh developments, including modern architecture and industry, while early excavations offered glimpses of Aztec Tenochtitlan buried beneath. This stratigraphic tension necessitated a reckoning; of concern here is the way that visual and intellectual cultures engaged in a particular cartographic reckoning. Colonial maps filled a void as artists, architects, art historians, and others worked to reconcile Mexico City’s modern identity with its ancient foundations.