Prompt Week 7 Malintzin

       This image of Malintzin is from a mural located in the Palacio de Gobierno in Tlaxcala City. The mural depicts the history of the Tlaxcalans and this particular section shows a meeting between the native Tlaxcalans, Cortes, and Malintzin acting as an intermediary. Townsend would say that it would be hard to argue that the figure in the middle could be any one but Malintzin. Townsend would probably reiterate her stance on how the Tlaxcalans viewed Malintzin as an important figure in their history, playing a crucial role in the initial meeting between the two cultures. This argument would be further articulated since the mural was created in the latter half of the 20^th century and is evidence of the importance of Malintzin in the Tlaxcalan past but also its present and its future. Malintzin’s presence alone shows that she played a crucial role in the meeting between the Tlaxcala and Cortes. The artists placement of Malintzin, Townsend would argue is strategic since being placed in-between the two groups shows that Malintzin’s role is crucial for the “peaceful” alliance between the Tlaxcala and the Spanish expedition. Malintzin’s placement in the mural is not the only item of interest, but her dress and size as compared to the rest of the figures in the mural are also important to note. By dressing her in intricate clothing the artist is ensuring that the viewer is drawn to her, further articulating her importance not only to that moment in time, but also to modern day Tlaxcalans. Her position and resulting gaze places her in time not only at the moment the Tlaxcala and Spaniards meet, but also allows her to peer at the viewer which gives her a since of eternality.