The beauty of the body in Mesoamerica and New Spain

Authors

  • Ana Corvera Universidad de Guadalajara

Keywords:

Body beauty, Mesoamerica, New Spain, body symbolism

Abstract

This article offers a comparative analysis of bodily beauty in two key periods of Mexican history: Mesoamerica and New Spain. Methodologically, it presents a historical-interpretative essay based on ethnographic, iconographic, aesthetic and literary sources. The author constructs a critical reading of the body as a cultural discourse, examining artistic production, religious frameworks, ritual practices and symbolic systems that shaped the meaning of corporeality in each era. The main objective is to understand how each period defined its ideal of physical beauty, and how these ideals expressed spiritual, social and political values. In the pre-Hispanic worldview, the human body was conceived as an extension of the cosmos, where health, fertility and vital energy defined beauty. In contrast, in New Spain, portraiture served as a tool to affirm lineage, morality and social prestige, often concealing the body, emotions and private realities beneath layers of decorum and symbolic luxury. The scope of the article lies in highlighting continuities and divergences between both traditions, revealing tensions between matter and spirit, desire and moral restraint, nature and artifice, identity and power. Ultimately, the text invites reflection on how these historical models resonate with contemporary notions of beauty in Mexico.

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References

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Orellana, M. (2002). La mano artesanal. México: Artes de México.

Schefer, D. (200). La belleza del siglo. Los cánones femeninos en el siglo XX. Barcelona, España: Gustavo Gili.

Zambrano, M. (2002). El hombre y lo divino. México: FCE.

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Published

2025-11-24

How to Cite

Corvera, A. (2025). The beauty of the body in Mesoamerica and New Spain. Sincronía, 19(67), 138–148. Retrieved from https://revistasincronia.cucsh.udg.mx/index.php/sincronia/article/view/849

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 67 (2015): January-June

Section

LETRAS

License

Copyright (c) 2015 Ana Corvera

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