World History II

Chapter 27: Nation Building in the Americas and Australia
1770 to 1914

41: Wed, Feb 5, 2020

Please post in the forum for the day a short essay in response to this question:

Art in the colonies responded to three complex realities. Native Art was often officially suppressed but nevertheless survived, preserving the original culture to some extent. The art of the colonists mimicked the art of the European continent, similarily preserving their culture of origin for the colonists. But it was also impossible to completely suppress a fusion of both impulses as all members of the colonies sought to define their new identities as residents of the New World (including Australia) and to record their experiences there.

Examine the paintings below. What do they tell you about the people portrayed? How might the origin or training of the painter affect how he portrays his subject?

• De Indio y Mestiza, sale Coyote. 1750 Artist unknown, Mexico [Use the buttons in the upper left of the picture frame to zoom in and examine details.]
• The Last Supper c. 1760 ( Marcos Zapata, Peruvian Quechua and Cipriano Toledo y Gutierrez, Peruvian) Cuzco School (Peru) 00 Painters of this tradition were Quechua Indians trained by the Spanish Cuzco, Peru Cathedral artists to portray Catholic themes.
• The Three Races, or Equality before the Law (1859) Francisco Laso, Peruvian aristocrate (Creole elite in our terms) Peru. Studied art in Paris)
• Fray Bartolome de las Casas (1875) Felix Parra Hernandez, Mexican painter studied in Mexico Fray Barolome (1484-1566) was a Spanish colonist who became a Dominican priest and officially oppointed "Protector of the Indians", who worked in later life for the abolition of the slave trade.
• Natives of Tasmania (1860) Robert Hawker Dowling (born England, emigrated to Tasmania at age 11; returned to England to study art, then returned to Australia).
• Ledger Drawing, c. 1880 Artist unknown, but German inscription says "Ollie Johnson, daugher and grandson", but others claim these are Kiowa gourd dances or Cheyenne warriors. Ledger drawings were made by Native Americans with pen and ink or colored pencils on financial ledges, which provided a cheap source of paper.

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