Landscape with an Episode from the Conquest of America

Jan Jansz Mostaert, c. 1535

Habsburg emperor Charles V reigned over a realm on which ‘the sun never set’. It encompassed much of Europe, including Spain and the Low Countries, parts of Central America and the Caribbean. This is the first painting to depict Spanish soldiers subduing the people who lived there. Mostaert added some elements to give his traditional European landscape an exotic ambience: a monkey, a porcupine and parrots.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-5021
  • Dimensionsheight 86.5 cm x width 152.5 cm
  • Physical characteristicsolieverf op paneel

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Missing Title

Jan Jansz Mostaert, c. 1515 - c. 1520

Missing Title

Identification

  • Title(s)

    Landscape with an Episode from the Conquest of America

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-5021

  • Description

    Een stoet van inheemse bevolking holt door een weids heuvelachtig landschap, gedomineerd door een grote rots. Met simpele wapens zoals pijl en boog, stokken en vlegels verdedigen ze zich tegen de Spanjaarden die met lansen, hellebaarden, vuurwapens en kanonnen aanvallen.

Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Jan Jansz Mostaert, Haarlem

  • Dating

    c. 1535

  • Search further with

Material and technique

  • Physical description

    olieverf op paneel

  • Dimensions

    height 86.5 cm x width 152.5 cm

This work is about

  • Subject

  • Place

Acquisition and rights

  • Credit line

    Purchased with the support of the BankGiro Lottery, the Vereniging Rembrandt and the Stichting Nationaal Fonds Kunstbezit, the Mondriaan Fonds and the Nationaal Aankoopfonds van het Ministerie van OCenW, VSBfonds, Fonds 21 and the Goudstikker Family (in memory of Jacques Goudstikker)

  • Acquisition

    purchase 2013

  • Copyright

    Public domain

Documentation

    • James Snyder, 'Jan Mostaert's West Indies Landscape', in F. Chiappelli ed., First Images of America: The impact of the New World on the Old, 2 vols., Berkely 1976, vol. 1, p. 495-502, figs. 62-65.
    • Peter Mason, ‘Una delle prime immagini della conquista dell’America riesaminata’ in: Il Mito del Nemico. Identità, alterità e loro rappresentazioni, a cura di Irene Graziani e Maria Vittoria Spissu, Minerva Edizioni, Bologna 2019, pp. 315-324.
    • C.D. Cuttler, 'Errata in Netherlandish Art: Jan Mostaert’s ‘New World’ Landscape', Simiolus 19 (1989), p. 191-197, fig. 1.
    • Peter Mason, El drago en el Jardín del Edén. Las Islas Canarias en la circulación transatlántica de imágenes en el mundo ibérico, siglos XVI y XVII, Iberoamericana Editorial Vervuert, Madrid 2018, pp. 31-50.
    • H.G. Franz, Niederländische Landschaftsmalerei im Zeitalter des Manierismus, Graz 1969, p. 54.
    • E. Weiss, Ein neues Bild Jan Mostaerts, uit: Zeitschrift für bildende Kunst, 20, 1909-1910, pagina pp. 215-217
    • M.J. Friedländer, Von van Eyck bis Bruegel: Studien zur Geschichte der niederländischen Malerei, Berlin 1921, p. 415.
    • R. van Luttervelt, 'Jan Mostaerts West-Indisch landschap', Nederlandsch Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek 2 (1948-49), p. 105-117.
    • N. Köhler (ed.), Painting in Haarlem 1500-1850 The Collection of the Frans Hals Museum, coll. cat. Haarlem (Frans Hals Museum) 2006, p. 559-561.
    • M.E.R.G.N. Jansen, ‘Defendiendo la Montaña Sagrada. La pintura ‘Indias Occidentales’ de Jan Mostaert y la Conquista de Gran Canaria’, Indiana 35.2 (2018), pp. 243-267.
    • John H. Perry, “Depicting a New World”, in: The Early Illustrated Book: Essays in Honor of Lessing J. Rosenwald, ed. S. Hindman, Washington D.C. 1982, p. 144.
    • James Snyder, revised by Larry Silver and Henry Luttikhuizen, Northern Renaissance Art: Painting, Sculpture, the Graphic Arts from 1350 to 1575, Upper Saddle River, N.J. 2005, p. 417-420, afb. fig. 17.11.
    • H. van de Waal, Drie eeuwen vaderlandsche geschieduitbeelding, 1500-1800: een iconologische studie, Den Haag 1952, p. 36.
    • Hessel Miedema (ed.), Karel van Mander. The Lives of the Illustrious Netherlandish and German Painters, 6 vols., Doornspijk 1994-1999, vol. 1 (1994), p. 174-177, vol. 3 (1996), p. 200.
    • O. Kurz, 'Review of Van Luttervelt 1948-1949. Recent Research', Burlington Magazine 92 (1950), p. 239.
    • E. Michel, 'Un tableau Colonial de Jan Mostaert', Revue Belge d’Archéologie et de l’Histoire de l’Art (1931), p. 133-141, 228.
    • E.K.J. Reznicek, 'Episode uit de verovering van Amerika', Openbaar Kunstbezit 4 (1960), nr. 19.
    • Leonard Blussé, “Een re-interpretatie van Jan Jansz Mostaerts Landschap met een episode uit de verovering van Amerika”, Kunstschrift 3 (2016), pp. 54-55.

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