Gezicht op haven en fort bij Acapulco 1685 - 1714

Thomas Doesburgh created this print depicting a view of the harbor and fort at Acapulco. Acapulco was the principal Pacific port for Spain's trade with Asia, so this image speaks to the complex social and economic relations of the early modern world. The print’s visual codes tell us about the culture that produced it. European ships rest in the harbor, flying flags that signal their power. In the foreground, we see local people, but they are rendered as exotic figures, secondary to the economic activity of the port. The fort looms over the city, suggesting the military might that undergirds colonial trade. This imagery was meant to promote the success of European trade. As historians, we can research the archives of trading companies and colonial administrations to understand the reality behind these images. This print reminds us that art is always shaped by the social and institutional context in which it is made.