“Cortez and Malinche” is a mural by Jose Clemente Orozco that depicts the Spanish overtaking the Aztecs. The artwork contains three central figures; the Malinche, who was an Aztec that helped Cortez exceed her people by translating for the Spanish, Cortez, who was a conquistador from Spain that took the lives of many, and lastly, a sickly Aztec lays at their feet. The composition seems like that of the Holy Trinity; the Father is applying his rules along with the Son. Another thing to consider is that they are naked, resembling Adam and Eve. As the story goes, Adam and Eve condemned their future generations because of their sin, just like Cortez and Malinche have done. Though the Malinche seems to be the one to blame, Orozco appears to represent this another way. The Malinche has her eyes closed as if she doesn’t see the outcome of her alliance with her lover; Cortez’s arm restrains her back, she is unable to help her people, whom you can see at the bottom, reach their hands for her help. Her body isn’t made of harsh lines like those that make Cortez up; even his eyes show an unmerciful gesture. His whole figure in the mural portrays ownership, dominance, oppression, and conquest, especially Cortez’s leg seems to step on the fallen Aztec. The Malinche, like Cortez, does not touch the fallen Aztec, as you see her feet pushed back against the rock, muscles relaxed without a worry in mind. She seems to have no contact with reality or tries to ignore the horrors of it. Orozco’s mural portrays the Spanish overtaking of the Aztecs as something from hell; You can see this in the color palette that he uses. The use of Black, red, orange create an uncomfortable and gloomy atmosphere. Though when you first glance at the mural, you may think that Malinche and Cortez are sitting in the same position of dominance, they are not. Orozco wants people to see that it was not entirely her fault, as she couldn’t possibly understand the consequences of her actions until it was too late. Just like the Aztecs, Malinche could’ve been dominated by Cortez, without an escape.