Veldslag bij oorspronkelijke bewoners van Zuid-Amerika 1633

Johann Wilhelm Baur created this etching, "Battle with Indigenous People of South America", in the 17th century. The image is a flurry of lines, densely packed to convey movement and chaos. Light scratches suggest depth, attempting to turn a flat plane into a deep field of conflict. The composition reflects a European perspective on conflict, framing indigenous warfare within established visual tropes. The lines not only depict figures but also seem to enforce a semiotic order, categorizing the scene for a European audience. The emphasis on chaotic energy and the "otherness" of the fighters are key to understanding its cultural coding. Notice how Baur uses line and form to create a sense of disarray and unfamiliarity. The print serves less as a factual record and more as a staging of cultural encounter, filtered through the formal language and philosophical prisms of his time. This artwork functions as a historical document and an ongoing site of interpretation.