John Lloyd Stephens was a writer, diplomat and entrepreneur; Frederick Catherwood an artist and architect. Together, they introduced the western world to the Maya in a series of books lavishly illustrated with highly romantic images of the ruins.
1843 Frederick Catherwood sepia ink and wash drawing on woven paper of Las Monjas, Chichen Itza. Image courtesy the Brooklyn Museum
Say what you like about their romantic style, amply illustrated by this image of Las Monjas (aka the Nunnery Annex) at Chichén Itzá, the detail of Catherwood's drawings and Stephen's prose opened the world of the Maya to the west, and preserved a detailed, accurate record of the ruins in a more-or-less pristine state.
The Nunnery Annex at Chichen Itza, Mexico. Photo by Dysanovic (c) 2006
Read all about Stephens and Catherwood, the latest article from contributing writer Nicoletta Maestri.
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