Spanjaarden beschieten inwoners van West-Indië 1700

Jan Lamsvelt created this print titled 'Spanjaarden beschieten inwoners van West-Indië' - Spaniards shoot inhabitants of the West Indies - sometime between the late 17th and early 18th century, using etching. In this small scene, Lamsvelt encapsulates the brutal encounter between Spanish colonizers and the Indigenous peoples of the West Indies. What stories might the Indigenous people have told about this invasion? How did they feel as they were violently displaced from their ancestral lands? The print offers a stark portrayal of power and violence, with the Spanish soldiers depicted as organized and armed, while the Indigenous people are shown in disarray, desperately fleeing the assault. Through the use of light and shadow, Lamsvelt heightens the drama and underscores the vulnerability of the Indigenous population. The image serves as a reminder of the human cost of colonialism.