Their Idol Kiwasa 1590

Curator: Welcome. We're looking at Theodor de Bry's "Their Idol Kiwasa," held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels…stark. Like a stage set, but for a very solemn play. The lines are so precise, almost cold. Curator: The engraving uses a limited tonal range, heightening the linear qualities. Observe the figure's posture, the geometric rendering of the dwelling. Editor: He looks so rigid! I wonder if the artist knew him personally, or if this is more of an idea of an "idol" – a concept imposed from the outside. Curator: De Bry, working in the late 16th century, never traveled to the Americas. These images are interpretations, filtered through a European lens, of the accounts of others. Editor: Right, which changes everything, doesn’t it? It's a representation of a representation, not a reality. What a rabbit hole. Curator: Precisely. The visual language speaks volumes about cultural exchange and its inherent biases. A potent reminder. Editor: So much more than just ink on paper, then. It’s a mirror reflecting back at us, isn't it?