European Narratives and Imagery of Native Peoples

Early European Views on the Americas

• Columbus's Letter (1494): Image published in Basel shortly after Columbus's voyages; limited distribution only among powerful Europeans in Spain.

  • Images as Intellectual Tools: They served to incorporate news of the New World into existing European frameworks.

  • Invention vs. Discovery: Emphasizes that Europeans did not actually discover the Americas, but rather invented their own narratives about them.

Misconceptions and Imagery of Native Peoples

• Inaccurate Depictions: European images often portrayed Native Americans inaccurately.

  • Examples include unrealistic vessels and skewed portrayals of physical appearance and culture.

  • Notable aspects: natives depicted as weak, naked, and emaciated.

• Columbus's Economic Motives: His voyage was commercial, not scientific; he sought a personal financial stake (10% of trade).

  • Religious Justification: Columbus aimed to convert Native Americans to Roman Catholicism, having received funding from wealth taken from Jews in Spain.

• Cultural Misunderstandings: Columbus's writings reflected his beliefs about native people, often missing the complexity of their cultures.

  • Noted differences in language, social organization, and use of tools.

The Concept of Globalization

• Conceptualizing Global Interactions: The encounter was marked by early forms of globalization; Columbus believed he landed in India.

• Initial Exchanges: Columbus described interactions that suggested initial friendships and trade, yet these often masked underlying exploitation.

Columbus's Diaries: Early Observations

• Descriptions of Native Americans:

  • Nakedness and lack of arms perceived as a sign of 'savagery' by Europeans.

  • Columbus misrepresented indigenous societies, dismissing their existing governments and social structures.

• Legal Framework for Colonization:

  • Columbus claimed lands based on his interpretation of legal norms, interpreting silence as consent.

  • His correspondence reflects a mixture of genuine observations and prejudiced fantasies about nobility and savagery.

Depictions in the Nuremberg Chronicle

• Nuremberg Chronicle (1493): Lavishly illustrated text merging fantasy, myth, and some scientific knowledge about the world.

  • Illustrates bizarre humanoids and connects them to biblical narratives (e.g., Noah's sons).

• Fanciful Creatures: Images of mythical beings persisted in European imaginations; Columbus reported finding no such monstrosities, contrasting with what was expected.

The Role of Amerigo Vespucci

• Vespucci's Travels: Post-Columbus voyages produced his accounts, widely circulated; continents named after him.

• Shifting Narratives: Vespucci's texts mixed Columbus's narratives with his interpretations, often romanticizing the lands and peoples.

Ethnographic Traditions in Accounts

• Peter Martyr's Works: Provided detailed descriptions and was tasked by the Spanish crown to chronicle discoveries. His writings included social and economic observations.

• Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo: Depicted Native Americans as lazy and morally corrupt, contributing to a damaging image that justified conquest.

• Bartolomé de las Casas: Criticized the atrocities and provided counter-narratives highlighting Native American richness and complexity.

Artistic Representations and Stereotypes

• Jacques Lemoyne and John White: Their detailed depictions of Native American life aimed to document human experiences but risked falling into stereotypical imagery influenced by prior European traditions.

• Final Notes on Cannibalism:

  • The myth of cannibalism was used as justification for colonization and enslavement despite lacking evidence.

• Enduring Impact: The stereotypes created by early representations of Native Americans influenced views for centuries, affecting relationships between Europeans and indigenous peoples.