Spanish Conquistador John Houser

The legacy and impact of the Spanish conquest is continually discussed and analyzed. The struggle in finding native identities while also acknowledging Spanish heritage is a continuing process in Latin America. Modern film and art, such as Salvador Carrasco’s La Otra Conquista and Diego Rivera’s mural the arrival of Cortés speak about the conquest and its effects on Mexico identity. The film challenges myths about the conquest by arguing against the greatness of Cortés, showing power in native agency, and Spanish dependency on interpreters. The mural upholds myths of the conquest like the black legend, minimizes

One of the main issues of this film - if not the main issue - is the fact that the government and many people in the

For the longest time, Americans have celebrated Columbus day, commemorating the admiral’s supposed discovery of America. But, in “The Inconvenient Indian”, Thomas King shatters this idea and develops a new thought in the mind of the reader about natives. By using excellent rhetoric and syntax, King is able to use logos, ethos and pathos in his chapter “Forget Columbus”, where he develops the argument that the stories told in history aren’t always a true representation of how it actually happened.

Every artist's dream is to create something that leaves a lasting impression. The Last Conquistador follows the story of a sculptor who does exactly that. John Houser spent nearly a decade painstakingly crafted a 34-foot tall equestrian statue featuring the infamous Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate y Salazar. Following in the footsteps of his father who assisted in the carving of Mount Rushmore, Houser's fantasy of leaving his mark in one of the largest bronze equestrian statues in the world finally became a reality (Valadez). However, what an artist attempts to express and what message is truly received may not be one and the same. While the Hispanic elite of El Paso praised (and funded) the magnificent piece, the Acoma were horrified by the towering symbol of oppression and genocide looming overhead. This film not only provides a window into the conflict and controversy surrounding Houser's work, but also showcases several aspects of Texas political culture and highlights the dismissive attitude toward Native American culture that is still prevalent today.

Cortes played a large role in the conquering of the Americas, and both Traditions and Encounters and The Broken Spears document his actions. In Traditions and Encounters, Cortes’s role as captain of Spanish expeditions was detailed. The advantage that the

separate how De Las Casas might have been an outspoken critic of the Spanish’s treatment of indigenous people, and how he was still a part of a repressive institution. Finally, I

The first statue, “Discovery of America” shows Cristopher Colombus holding the world in his right hand. He stands sternly as a Native American looks at him as if deciding wether to trust him or not. Horatio Greenough’s “Rescue” depicts an American family from the frontier encountering an American Indian. The “savage” is attempting to attack the family members, but the father is able to dominate him and keep him from doing so. Both statues were placed in the east façade of the US Capitol building in Washington D.C. and received heavy criticism from the American public due to their political message. However, once construction for the extension of the Capitol building began, both statues were removed and were not returned to their former space. Both sculptures carried negative and misinformed messages about the American Indian population, placing them as if they were “savages” and not at all human. Their disappearance from the façade of the Capitol is the United States’ government accepting a brutal and inhumane past, and attempting to remedy the relationship with American Indians at the time.

The Conquest of Mexico and the conversion of the peoples of New Spain can and should be included among the histories of the world, not only because it was well done but because it was very great. . . . Long live, then, the name and memory of him [Cortés] who conquered so vast a land, converted such a multitude of men, cast down so many men, cast down so many men, cast down so many idols, and put an end to so much sacrifice and the eating of human flesh! —Francisco López de Gómara (1552)

From Reséndez’s foundation of European enslavement and its far-reaching impact on Native American populations, Reséndez examined racial components in the southwest. It is impossible to separate racial tension from the study of Indian slavery. Christopher Columbus’s journals as contemporary letters show the Spanish perception of

The Spanish colonial era, spanning from 1690 - 1821, was a very long and rigorous journey for many in Texas. This was the era of settlements and the era of establishing missions. At first, it doesn’t seem very exciting, it seems like a rather calm and docile era. However, toward the end of this era, the Mexican war of Independence happened and ignited the flames of change. It was a monumental event, filled with determination and human perseverance. It showed true and genuine human struggle, and it followed a story about overcoming obstacles and staying strong, which parallels to the popular monomyth of the Hero’s Journey. If looked at closely, it can be seen that many of the Hero’s

Because Schreffler is arguing that Díaz, López de Gómara, Solís and González created a misconstrued view of Aztec painting, imagery is a vital component of this essay. The visuals strengthen his argument by giving viewers a clear sense of the difference between typical Aztec panting and the painting that the accounts describe. For example, Schreffler includes two images of paintings done by the

I enjoy all kinds of art. When I was a kid, I went to multiple art exhibits (unfortunately, I do not have much time to do that anymore). On the other hand, I am not good at making art. In addition to enjoying art, I also enjoy history. I watch T.V. shows relating to history as much as I can. I have always excelled in history classes. In this essay, I will compare and contrast Tenochtitlan and the figurehead of Andrew Jackson. These two artifacts are very much unlike each other.

A well-known artist named Frederic Remington once stated that, "Of all the monuments which the Spaniard has left to glorify his reign in America, there will be none more worthy than his horse"(qtd. In Speir). What I believe to understand from this statement is when the Spanish came to America, they had a significant impact on our

I went to the National Museum of Mexican Art because I've previously been to the Art Institute before and wanted to go somewhere different. I also did not know that this museum existed and was really curious to find out more about it. The artwork I have chosen is Primitive People by Carlos Almaraz. Made on a canvas with oil paint in 1985. This artwork is placed on the wall in a frame with a bar in front of the painting meaning you can't get too close or touch the artwork. The artworks surrounding the one I have chosen are displayed the same way there are some objects in the center of the room displayed in glass cases where no one can touch. The color and confusing caught my eye by this piece. It made me want to know more about what was going on in the painting the background of it.

Instead, the government fundings should help provide the cities and people in need. In Source 4 is says, “With high unemployment rates and rising rents and food costs across the nation, every one of those dollars matters immensely-and none of them should be wasted on funding for public art.” Government fundings need to help the citizens. Additionally, government fundings takes away the meaning of true art that the artists want to present because “When using public funds, the artist is constrained by the need to represent the point of view of the government and to gratify the general public.” (Source 4) Artists are not able to express their own art because they are pressured to represent the point of view of the government. The solution to this is private funding and “artists and art-lovers will have a greater influence on the art being created and shown to the public.” (Source 4) With private fundings artist will feel more free to express themselves and people will enjoy the artwork even more. Private funding donates more money to art work than government funding. For example, “a record-breaking 858 million public dollars was spent on the arts by local governments in the United States. This sum pales in comparison to the 12.79 billion private dollars donated to the arts in the same year.” (Source 4) Art can also flourish without public fundings or government