Plate 1: Jemez Book of Marriages: From Portfolio "Spanish Colonial Designs of New Mexico" 1935 - 1942

This print of a marriage register from Jemez Pueblo in New Mexico was created by an anonymous artist. It is from a portfolio of “Spanish Colonial Designs,” but it prompts us to consider the complex interplay of indigenous and colonial institutions. The bookplate design is adorned with stylized floral and geometric motifs. The inscription states that it is a record of marriages from the San Diego de Jemez mission, overseen by a priest and notary of the Holy Inquisition in 1720. This blend of indigenous artistry with Catholic record-keeping highlights the profound cultural shifts occurring in the region during Spanish colonization. What social transformations did this mission system entail? To fully understand this image, one could research the history of Spanish missions in the Southwest, the Pueblo people's resistance to colonial rule, and the archives of the Inquisition. It is through such investigations that we uncover the power dynamics and cultural negotiations embedded in seemingly simple artifacts.