Four Images

Image 1

• The cross is from the Kongo. It is a mix of Kongolese and Christian traditions brought to the region by the Portuguese. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).

Image 2

• The portrait is of a Moroccan ambassador the court of Elizabeth I of England. The date of the painting is unknown, but he visited the court in 1600. Some historians believe that he was the inspiration for Shakespeare’s play Othello, which is about a Moorish general in the Venetian army. (Tate Gallery, London).

Image 3

• The 1523 painting of the couple is by a Venetian artist. Their table is covered in a Persian rug, a popular luxury item among the wealthy in Europe.  (Hermitage, St. Petersburg.

Image 4

• The coffer was made in Japan (1600-1630). The ornamentation features Indian influences. The box itself reflects European designs; it was specifically built for Portuguese and European markets. The style of build was called Nanban, which translates to “Southern Barbarians”. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York).