Their Manner of Fishing in Virginia 1590

Curator: This engraving, "Their Manner of Fishing in Virginia," comes to us from Theodor de Bry, who was active in the late 16th century. Editor: There's an immediate sense of abundance here, almost an Edenic vision of the New World. The water teems with life. Curator: De Bry never actually visited Virginia. His images, like this one, were based on watercolors by John White, and were meant to illustrate Thomas Hariot's accounts of the Roanoke colony. Editor: That explains the stylized figures, but it still speaks to a powerful desire to depict a land of plenty, right? The act of fishing becomes almost ritualistic. Notice the contrast between the figures in the boat and those standing directly in the water. Curator: Yes, and in considering this image's place in history, it's important to think about how it functions as a form of colonial propaganda, shaping European perceptions, and, perhaps, obscuring the realities of indigenous life. Editor: I agree. It’s a potent reminder of how images can both reflect and construct narratives about new worlds and their inhabitants.