Allegory of America, from the Four Continents 1660 - 1700

"Allegory of America, from the Four Continents" is a drawing by Godfried Maes, a Dutch artist active in the late 17th century. This piece, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, depicts a Native American figure holding a parrot, seated atop an alligator with bamboo stalks behind them. The composition is framed with elaborate, asymmetrical scrolls, which are characteristic of the Baroque style. Maes's detailed depiction of flora and fauna highlights the exoticism of the New World, making this drawing an intriguing example of 17th-century European perceptions of America.