The cruel – yet technically and artistically masterful – copperplate engravings in Theodor de Bry’s (1528–1598) edition of Bartolomé de Las Casas’ A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies became icons of Spanish atrocities in the New World. For a long time, they shaped the negative perception of Spain in Northern Europe – contributing to the so-called “Black Legend” (Leyenda Negra).
You can find more about de Bry in this article.
Text: Gerhard Groebe | All images: Public domain
