The article explores two distinctive paintings in the Rijksmuseum, one by Jan Jansz Mostaert from 1535 depicting European conquest of America with soldiers confronting imagined natives, and another modern photograph by Amanda López from 2008 showcasing four young Latinas immersed in lowrider culture. The juxtaposition emphasizes evolving perceptions of American identity, cultural representation across centuries, and how art reflects societal changes—highlighting both historical and contemporary struggles for identity and expression in the United States.
Peel yourself away from Mostaert's painting, cross to a different wing of the museum, and you will find another bunch of Americans defending their way of life.
The image, which is one of a set of lowrider photographs acquired by the Smithsonian, is dominated by the driver of the car, who rests her elbow on the edge of the open window.
It dates from around 1535 and bears the title "Landscape with an Episode from the Conquest of America," featuring soldiers and an imagined portrayal of New World inhabitants.
A bearded old man, in a cage made of wooden bars, surveys the scene from on high, while a rust-red cow grazes peacefully nearby.
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