tlacatia (FCbk4f22r)

This colorful painting of the iconographic example of the verb tlacatia (to give birth) shows a mother (on the left), a baby just born, and a midwife, who holds the baby. The setting is outdoors, as the mother sits and the midwife kneels on some grass. The women both have their hair in the classic style, neaxtlahualli, where the hair comes to points on either side of the forehead. The mother only wears the tunic-like white blouse called the huipilli. This one has a red rectangle on her chest and red trim around the bottom. The midwife wears a similar blouse plus some long loose pants or a skirt. The style of this painting shows a level of three-dimensionality that suggest European stylistic influence.