Land Discovered by Columbus c. 19th century

Editor: This is Edward Goodall's "Land Discovered by Columbus," housed here at Harvard. It's quite small and dark, a little unsettling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The very title is loaded. "Discovery" implies a void, erasing the Indigenous presence already there. The darkness, the ship looming under a crescent moon... it speaks to the violence inherent in this so-called discovery. Consider the flags raised on the ship, they are not neutral symbols, but declarations of ownership and power. Editor: So, it's not just a historical scene, but a critique? Curator: Precisely. Goodall might be subtly questioning the narrative of heroism surrounding Columbus. What do you think this piece can teach us today? Editor: That history isn't always what it seems. And that art can reveal uncomfortable truths. Curator: Exactly. It invites us to critically examine whose stories are told and whose are silenced.