Vrouwelijke personificatie van werelddeel Afrika als vrouw met leeuwenvel zittend tussen leeuwen 1648 - 1664

This is an engraving by Cornelis van Dalen II, depicting a female personification of the continent of Africa. Made in the Netherlands in the mid-17th century, the image encapsulates Europe's evolving relationship with the wider world. The figure of Africa sits between lions, wearing a lion’s pelt, gazing upwards. The title, "Africa Indignata Fremens," translates to "indignant, roaring Africa," giving us a clear sense of the artist's intention. The discarded European arms at the bottom right suggest resistance to colonial incursion. However, the image also speaks to the complex cultural politics of its time, where the continent was often represented through stereotyped and racialized tropes. In the sky is a diagram of the Zodiac, which has a relationship to astronomy, navigation, and the mapping of the world, all of which were important in European culture. To fully understand this artwork, one can draw on period literature, maps, and travelogues. The meaning of art always remains contingent on its social and institutional context.