Portrait of Tenochtitlan
2023 render of Tenochtitlan by Thomas Kole
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Portrait of Tenochtitlan is a render of Tenochtitlan and the Valley of Mexico at the start of the 16th century by Dutch programmer Thomas Kole using 3D computer graphics.[1] Drone photography by Mexican geomatic engineer Andrés Semo was used to compare the past with present-day Mexico City. The unbiased rendering won critical acclaim as a credible image of the Mexica capital.[2]
| Portrait of Tenochtitlan | |
|---|---|
| Retrato de Tenochtitlan (Spanish), In ixtli, in yollotl, in Tenochtitlan (Nahuatl languages) | |
The twin cities of Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco against the backdrop of the Popocatépetl and Ixtacchíhuatl volcanos | |
| Artist | Thomas Kole |
| Year | 2023 |
| Movement | Digital art |
| Subject | Tenochtitlan |
| Website | https://tenochtitlan.thomaskole.nl/index.html |
Development
The images were developed in 2022 and 2023 with open-source software engines Blender, Gimp and Darktable. The project used historical and archeological sources and expert advice.[3]
Launch
The images were launched on the website of the project in September 2023 with a text in English, Spanish and Nahuatl, the latter translated by Rodrigo Ortega Acoltzi. The project was published under Creative Commons-license BY 4.0.[4]
Reception
The Spanish-language edition of National Geographic published an article on Portrait of Tenochtitlan and the website went viral.[5] During Kole’s first-ever visit to Mexico City in February 2024, Kole, Semo, and Ortega gave a presentation at the National Museum of Anthropology that was well received.[6] A second presentation was given at the Tlatelolco Cultural Centre.
Gallery
View to the West
Tenochtitlan and the Popocatépetl volcano
View of Tenochtitlan looking towards Tenayuca
External links
- Project Website
- Video of presentation at Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco, february 2024, on YouTube.