Minneapolis Institute of Art

Allegories of the Four Continents

Probably Mexico

Date

1779

Medium

Oil on canvas

Department

Arts of the Americas

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

An allegory is a visual representation in which a figure symbolizes an idea, a place, or a concept. This set of four paintings presents allegorical depictions of the continents—America, Africa, Asia, and Europe—each personified as a female figure adorned with ornaments considered characteristic of those regions through the lens of 18th-century European imagination. Each figure is seated on an animal emblematic of the respective continent: an alligator for America, a lion for Africa, a camel for Asia, and a horse for Europe. Surrounding them are elements of flora, fauna, and even architecture, further reinforcing the symbolic associations attributed to these parts of the world. Together, they are intended to celebrate the world’s diversity and abundance, while also reflecting the cultural biases and colonial perspectives of their time. México, Americas

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