Solo Analysis Document 1.4 Theodor de Bry, Engraving of the Black Legend, 1598

SOLO ANALYSIS

Theodor de Bry | Engraving of the Black Legend, 1598

In the late 1500s, the engraver Theodor de Bry and his sons created a series of copperplate illustrations depicting the Americas. By the 1590s, critics labeled the Spanish conquest of America “the Black Legend” because of the brutal treatment of Indians. The de Brys depended on reports from explorers and missionaries for their illustrations. While not necessarily accurate, the detailed and graphic scenes they created became enormously popular and thus shaped debates about the legitimacy of Spanish actions in the Americas. Although the de Brys did depict Indians torturing Spanish explorers, this illustration highlights Spanish cruelty against Indians.

Document 1.4

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Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Interpret the Evidence

  1. How do the de Brys depict Indians and Spaniards differently?

  2. How might this image shape public perceptions of Spanish encounters with Indians?

Put It in Context

How did these popular illustrations contribute to the fierce debates among Spanish royalty, the Catholic Church, and ordinary people over what was at stake in conquering territory in the Americas?