Aztec Art: Compare and Contrast

Justin Williams
Professor Hansen
HUM 2450
10 September 2010
Aztec Art: Compare and Contrast
Introduction
Art is a very fundamental act in molding and influencing culture and cultural identities all over the world. Most generations have led their way of life transforming universal materials through art into cultural creations. Taking Aztec art for instance, was a culture of Central Mexico during the imperial period (1431 - 1521). The art of sculptures highly influenced the architectural and cultural activities that helped develop the history of ancient Central Mexico. Nonetheless, in modern times, art still stands out as the mother of all architectural development and cultural identity. For instance modern nations and republics are preserving and maintaining their old art; like buildings, sculptures and many more crafted artifacts just for identity and prestige. Despite the fact that Aztec arts differs to some extent with the architectural symbols of the new nation of the United States, there are some areas where they are similar.
Similarities
First and foremost, in each and every culture there is a system that governs and helps in the cohesion, co-existence and identity of all. That is, in both Aztec art and the new nation of the United States all are proud of their art and they are working hard to maintain their artifacts. In the case of Aztec, the empire of ancient Central Mexico; intellectuals, religious movements, political imposition and people movements ensured that all citizens identified themselves with the capital by use of sculptures. Similarly, in the United States, all citizens are associated with the central government and identify themselves with buildings like the Library of Congress.
Secondly, political imposition is ideal in both cultures. There is an empire that governed the people of ancient Central Mexico. United States has a formal government that is responsible for controlling and administrating all the activities of the nation. They all employ elite minds in coming up with decisions that are of both national unity and identity.
Thirdly, all people are culturally bound. Aztec art tells us that; imperial sculptural distributions were found all over Central Mexico thus indicating that imperial culture was upheld and exercised in the latter. In the United States, the Capitol police, Capitol fire departments and Capital Hospitals are distributed in all states to provide the prim...