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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | View of Itamaracà Island in Brazil, Frans Post |
| Library | Mauritshuis |
| Date | 1637 |
| Description | This is one of the oldest paintings depicting a Brazilian landscape. It shows the island of Itamaracá across the water. The painter, Frans Post, was one of those who travelled to Brazil in the entourage of Johan Maurits of Nassau-Siegen, the governor-general of the Dutch colony from 1636 to 1644. The painting is simple in design. The low horizon means that much of the picture is taken up by the sky. Only a few people dot the landscape. A European man is seen on horseback; his companion who has dismounted, waves to someone on the opposite shore. They are accompanied by two African slaves: one holds the reins; the other carries a basket of fruit. |
| Document Type | Painting |
| Primary Commodity | Sugar |
| Theme | Politics and Empire; Trade and Commerce; Art and Literature |
| Keywords | colony, empire, commerce, slaves, fruit |
| Region | South America |
| Places | Brazil |
| Additional Information | Frans Post spent his whole life painting Brazilian landscapes and little else, even after his return to Holland. This work is one of seven paintings he is known to have painted while still Brazil. |
| Copyright | Frans Post, 1612-1680, View of Itamaracà Island in Brazil, 1637, Canvas, 63.5 x 88.5, Mauritshuis, The Hague |