Panel 13. Cortez and the Cross - The Epic of American Civilization 1934

José Clemente Orozco created this fresco as part of 'The Epic of American Civilization.' Here, the dominating cross symbolizes the imposition of Christianity, standing stark against the turmoil of conquest. The motif of the cross, initially a symbol of salvation, has been used through the centuries to justify dominion, a transformation echoing in the Crusades. Even now, it evokes a complex mix of faith and historical trauma, a testament to its enduring yet evolving power. The figure of Cortés, rendered as a stern, armored conquistador, recalls images of Roman emperors, figures whose likenesses were used to establish power. The emotional weight of Orozco’s fresco lies in this visual tension: the promise of spiritual redemption vis-à-vis the brutal realities of colonization. As such, it taps into the collective memory, forcing a re-evaluation of symbols and histories long held sacred. The cross, sword, and armor become a potent reminder that symbols, like history itself, are continually reinterpreted.