Full Breakdown
Codex Azcatitlán Returns to Mexico on Temporary Loan Amid Bicentennial Diplomacy
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Historic Return of a 16th-Century Manuscript
On September 17, the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City opened an exhibition featuring the Codex Azcatitlán, a rare 16th-century pictographic manuscript that narrates the Mexica migration from Aztlán, the founding of Tenochtitlán, and the Spanish conquest. The codex, held by France’s Bibliothèque nationale de France (BNF) since 1898, is on loan for the first time since 1840 as part of a cultural exchange marking 200 years of Mexico-France diplomatic relations.
Background and Context
The codex was created by an Indigenous Otomi craftsman in the Valley of México during the late 1500s. Its 25 European-paper folios blend Mesoamerican pictograms with European writing, documenting the succession of tlatoanis (rulers) and the arrival of Spanish conquistadores. Over centuries the manuscript passed through the collections of Lorenzo Boturini Benaduci, French collector Joseph Marius Alexis Aubin, and the Franco-Mexican collector Eugène Goupil before being donated to the BNF by Goupil’s widow in the late 19th century.
Data and Statistics
- The codex comprises 25 folios of vibrant color drawings.
Official Statements & Responses
She emphasized that the loan is a step toward the eventual permanent return of the manuscript.
He also expressed hope that France might eventually donate the codex permanently.
The French National Library maintains legal possession of the codex, acquired in 1898, and frames the loan as a diplomatic gesture rather than a relinquishment of ownership.
Verbatim Quotes
- “These codices are extremely important to us because they continue to give us identity and value as human beings during these very special times we are experiencing,” — Maria Eugenia Castañeda
- “There are likely around 600 codices in the world. Having an original codex come to Mexico and allowing us to reconnect with it is, I believe, very significant,” — Bookstores Baltazar Brito Guadarrama, director of the National Library of Anthropology and History (BNAH)
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exhibition’s closing date. One report states the codex will be on display “until December 31, 2026,” while another indicates the exhibition runs “through December 6, 2026.” Both dates appear in official communications, but no clarification has been provided regarding the exact end of the loan period.
Why It Matters
The temporary return allows millions of visitors to engage directly with a primary source of Mexica history, reinforcing cultural identity and prompting renewed debate over the repatriation of indigenous artifacts held abroad. While the loan underscores diplomatic goodwill, it also highlights ongoing tensions about permanent restitution of colonial-era objects, such as the Penacho de Moctezuma housed in Austria. The exhibition thus serves both as a celebration of shared heritage and a catalyst for broader discussions on cultural property and historical justice.