Lion Hunt ("America") 1685 - 1699

This embroidery, Lion Hunt ("America"), was created by Leonardus Quesi around the late 17th to early 18th century. The artwork depicts a scene of European colonizers hunting lions in America. It encapsulates the era's colonial attitudes and power dynamics. The inclusion of horses, armor, and weaponry signifies European dominance, while the lions represent the wild, untamed landscape that colonizers aimed to conquer. This imagery is not just about hunting animals; it's a metaphor for the broader project of colonization and asserting control over new territories. The word "America" attached to the landscape can be interpreted as a claim of ownership. To better understand this image, scholars might investigate colonial histories, accounts of early encounters between Europeans and indigenous populations, and studies of the symbolic meanings attributed to animals in different cultures. Art is never created in a vacuum; it's always in dialogue with the social and institutional forces of its time.