Cronica Cronicarum (...), blad 13 recto Possibly 1521 - 1529

This is a page from the "Cronica Cronicarum," a history book illustrated through text, diagrams and portraits. It was created by an anonymous artist, in a time when books were painstakingly handwritten and illustrated. The "Cronica Cronicarum," a history book, presents a particular worldview. Royal lineages are carefully mapped out, presenting a visual argument for power and legitimacy. Yet, consider what's left out. Whose stories aren't being told? What perspectives are missing from this carefully constructed account of the past? The use of the vernacular emphasizes an appeal to a wider, non-Latin speaking, public. These vibrant illustrations and detailed records offer us a glimpse into the past, and provide an insight into the era’s desire to document and understand the flow of history, and its representation of political power through carefully constructed narratives. How might our understanding of identity shift if we centered different voices and perspectives?