f. 1r., standing indigenous noble male
This is a detail of the portrait of a Nahua noble, probably don Diego de Mendoza Austria Moteuczoma, who appears on the cover of the manuscript. He stands facing the viewer, with one hand holding a spear that is nearly as tall as he is, has a golden point, a crossbar just below the point, and seemingly green feathers adorning the end that reaches the ground. The other arm is extended in the other direction, at about the same height. The man wears a golden crown, rounded at the top and tied at the back with what appears to be a reddish colored cloth. Green feathers curve around from behind his left shoulder, behind his head and crown, and end at about the top of the spear. The man wears a cloak or a cape that is tied under his chin, hangs over his shoulders, drapes a little over his upper arms and falls down behind him, reaching the backs of his knees. The cape appears to have a spotted design in reds or pinks on the outside, and a rich purple interior. The man also wears a loincloth, with pinks, reds, and/or purples, seemingly in stripes. He has gold-colored bands, one each, around his thighs, calves, forearms, and wrists. He wears sandals of the same color that cover the back half of each foot, up to the ankles; the toes are exposed. His stomach is exposed, showing a belly button. Around his neck, he wears a string of large beads (blue and gold in color, perhaps), with a pendant at the bottom front. He has black hair that appears to reach his shoulders, and he wears a mustache and a short beard, also black. There is a name glyph that appears above his head and to our right as we view him; it appears to be a dog’s head with an extended tongue.
This man is a figure on a number of genealogies pertaining to the Mendoza Moteuczoma family.
hombre de la nobleza indígena de pie
Detalle de un retrato de un noble Nahua, probablemente don Diego de Mendoza Austria Moctezuma, que aparece en la portada del manuscrito. Está parado de frente al observador, sosteniendo en una mano una lanza casi tan alta como él, con una punta dorada y lo que parece ser plumas verdes adornando la parte inferior. El otro brazo aparece extendido en la dirección opuesta, a una altura similar. Viste una corona dorada en la cabeza, atada por atras a lo que parece ser una capa colorada. De su hombro derecho se curvan plumas verdes, que llegan hasta la lanza en la otra mano. Viste una capa atada por debajo del mentón, colgando sobre sus hombros, que termina a la altura de las rodillas. La parte exterior parece tener manchas rosas mientras que el interior es de un color púrpura intenso. El hombre también viste un taparabos, con rosas, rojos y púrpuras a rayas. Viste sandalias del mismo color que cubren la mitad de cada pie, hasta los tobillos. Los dedos están expuestos, al igual que su estómago (mostrando el ombligo). Alrededor del cuello porta un collar azul y dorado, con un pendiente. El pelo negro parece llegar hasta la altura de los hombros, y lleva también un bigote y una barba pequeña, ambos de color negro. Hay un jeroglífico arriba de su cabeza y hacia la derecha; parece ser la cabeza de un perro con la lengua afuera.
Este hombre es una figura de las tantas genealogías pertenecientes a la familia Mendoza Moctezuma.