13.1 Artistic representations of the New World

European artists like Theodor de Bry created engravings of the New World, introducing it to Europeans. These depictions, while groundbreaking, often contained inaccuracies and exoticized Indigenous peoples, reflecting European biases and misconceptions.

The Age of Exploration also saw advancements in cartography. Maps served as tools for navigation and symbols of power. However, they often erased Indigenous knowledge, imposing European names and boundaries onto newly discovered lands.

European Depictions of the New World

Theodor de Bry and John White's Engravings

Top images from around the web for Theodor de Bry and John White's Engravings

• 

  Provincializing Europe in Canadian History; Or, How to Talk about Relations between Indigenous ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chapter 5: Travel and Exploration – The Creative Spirit: 1550-Present View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chowanoke – Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Provincializing Europe in Canadian History; Or, How to Talk about Relations between Indigenous ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chapter 5: Travel and Exploration – The Creative Spirit: 1550-Present View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Theodor de Bry and John White's Engravings

• 

  Provincializing Europe in Canadian History; Or, How to Talk about Relations between Indigenous ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chapter 5: Travel and Exploration – The Creative Spirit: 1550-Present View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chowanoke – Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Provincializing Europe in Canadian History; Or, How to Talk about Relations between Indigenous ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Chapter 5: Travel and Exploration – The Creative Spirit: 1550-Present View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Theodor de Bry, a Flemish engraver and publisher, created a series of engravings based on the watercolors of English artist John White who accompanied the Roanoke voyages to the New World (1585-1590)
• De Bry's engravings, published in his book "Grand Voyages", depicted the Indigenous peoples, flora, and fauna of the Americas, introducing Europeans to the New World
• John White's watercolors, although more accurate than de Bry's engravings, still contained elements of idealization and Europeanization in the depiction of Indigenous peoples (Algonquian people of North Carolina)
• These engravings and watercolors, while groundbreaking for their time, often contained inaccuracies, exaggerations, and misrepresentations of Indigenous cultures, reflecting European biases and misconceptions

Exoticism and Misrepresentation in European Art

• European engravings and other artistic representations of the Americas often exoticized and romanticized Indigenous peoples, depicting them as "noble savages" or as primitive and uncivilized
• These depictions reflected European fascination with the "otherness" of the New World, as well as a sense of superiority over Indigenous cultures
• Exoticism in art often led to the misrepresentation and oversimplification of complex Indigenous societies, reducing them to stereotypes and caricatures (depictions of cannibalism, savagery)
• The European gaze and artistic representations of the New World were shaped by colonial ideologies and the desire to justify conquest and exploitation

Cartography and Map-Making in the Age of Exploration

• The Age of Exploration saw significant advancements in cartography and map-making, as Europeans sought to document and claim the newly discovered lands
• Maps served as both practical tools for navigation and as symbolic representations of power and control over the New World
• Cartographers often incorporated elements of art and symbolism into their maps, depicting sea monsters, exotic animals, and other fanciful elements alongside geographic features (1507 Waldseemüller map, first to use the name "America")
• The creation of maps also involved the appropriation and erasure of Indigenous knowledge and place names, as European cartographers imposed their own names and boundaries onto the land

Indigenous Art and Artifacts

Codex Mendoza and Aztec Codices

• The Codex Mendoza, created around 1541, is an Aztec codex that provides a detailed account of Aztec history, society, and tribute system
• The codex, commissioned by Spanish authorities, combines Indigenous pictorial traditions with European alphabetic text, reflecting the complex cultural interactions of the early colonial period
• Aztec codices, such as the Codex Borbonicus and the Codex Fejérváry-Mayer, are pre-Columbian manuscripts that use a complex system of pictograms and symbols to record religious, historical, and astronomical knowledge
• These codices provide valuable insights into Aztec cosmology, ritual practices, and worldview, as well as the sophisticated artistic and intellectual traditions of Mesoamerican cultures

Tupinambá Featherwork and Indigenous Artistic Traditions

• The Tupinambá, an Indigenous group from Brazil, were renowned for their intricate featherwork, which included capes, headdresses, and other ceremonial objects
• Tupinambá featherwork, made from the brightly colored feathers of tropical birds, served as a symbol of status and power within the community
• European colonizers were fascinated by Tupinambá featherwork and collected it as exotic curiosities, often without understanding its cultural significance
• Indigenous artistic traditions, such as Tupinambá featherwork, were deeply connected to religious beliefs, social structures, and environmental knowledge, reflecting the complex and diverse cultures of the Americas

Cultural Representation and Misrepresentation

Exoticism and Cultural Misrepresentation in Art

• European engravings and other artistic representations of the Americas often exoticized and misrepresented Indigenous peoples and cultures
• Exoticism in art often depicted Indigenous peoples as primitive, savage, or sexually promiscuous, reflecting European stereotypes and prejudices (engravings of cannibalism, nudity)
• These misrepresentations were used to justify European conquest and colonization, portraying Indigenous peoples as inferior and in need of "civilizing" influences
• Cultural misrepresentation in art also involved the appropriation and decontextualization of Indigenous art and artifacts, as Europeans collected and displayed them as curiosities without understanding their cultural significance

Cartography and the Erasure of Indigenous Knowledge

• European cartography and map-making often involved the erasure and replacement of Indigenous place names and geographic knowledge
• Maps served as tools of colonial power, imposing European names, boundaries, and claims onto Indigenous lands
• The creation of maps often relied on Indigenous guides and informants, whose knowledge was appropriated and reinterpreted through a European lens
• The erasure of Indigenous knowledge in cartography reflects the broader process of cultural misrepresentation and the imposition of European worldviews onto the New World