19th Century
Art Gallery
Politcal Resistance throughout history
Portrait of Simon Bolivar
José Gild de Castro, Lima, Peru, 19th Century Latin American Independence Movement
Oil on Canvas
1825
The Portrait of Simon Bolivar, painted by José Gil de Castro, depicts notorious Venezuelan liberator and military hero Simon Bolivar. Bolivar, known as the “great liberator”, played a pivotal role in granting and “establishing independence for the regions that would become Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru” (Leibsohn, Mundy). Born as a wealthy creole in Caracas, Venezuela in 1783, Bolivar was exposed to the teachings and tenets of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution at a very young age (Smith). Throughout his youth and early adulthood, Bolivar immersed himself further in the teachings of naturalists and revolutionary thinkers in his travels around Europe, and upon his return home to Caracas, was made a Lieutenant Colonel in 1811 to assist in the fight of civil and colonial Spanish conflict (Smith). As colonial forces swept the region, Bolivar emerged as a revolutionary leader, and in 1816, with the “help of forces from Haiti, Bolivar was able to land in Venezuela” and recapture it from the Spanish (Tejvan). Bolivar then went on to become the President of Gran Colombia, which encompassed several Latin American countries that were “recently liberated from the Spanish” (Tejvan). Throughout the fight for independence, Bolivar led numerous rebel forces in a fight to oust Spanish colonial rule, and his “attack on New Granada is considered one of the most daring in military history” (Masur).
How does this artwork relate to resistance?
In this light, the portrait of Bolivar represents the political, cultural, and territorial liberation and resistance against Spanish colonial rule. Bolivar status alone as the “Great Liberator” renders this portrait painting dissimilar to many previous portrait renditions. Further, Gil de Castro’s portrait of Bolivar is emblematic of a much larger artistic resistance, one that is a shift away from strictly academic, elite painting, and that emphasizes a resistance against European artistic conventions in a Latin American revolutionary sphere. Formally, Bolivar is depicted in a portrayal of his elite status, wearing ornate military garb complete with gold military regalia, gold shoulder pads, and an elaborate belt. Despite these elite flourishes, artist Gil de Castro resists against purely elite portrayals by rendering Bolivar on a black, setting-less background as Bolivar stands firm and upright, gazing at the viewer to convey defiance, resistance, and strong leadership. Gil de Castro’s portrait may be compared to others of the colonial and revolutionary period, such as the Portrait of Don Manuel de Amat y Juniet, the Viceroy of Peru. Differently from Amat y Juniet’s portrait, Bolivar’s portrait is not only a manifestation of political resistance, but is also a resistance against prior artistic portrait paintings of the revolutionary era that placed a great emphasis on monarchical apparatuses, elite military regalia, ornate dress, and richly-decorated scenes. Yet, at the same time, Gil de Castro’s rendition of Bolivar shows a fusion with the European aesthetic of portrait paintings, indicated by the three quarters pose, and the turned out foot, for instance. In this light, Gil de Castro makes a statement on the gradual nature of resistance, without undermining its prevalence and place in history.
The Martyr Olaya
Jose gil de Castro (also known as El Mulato Gil), Lima, Peru
oil on canvas
1823
Jose gil de castro specialized in portraiture, mostly prominent figures of the revolution.The Style of the artist stayed consistent throughout his artistic career (Schaede)
Castro’s paintings were seen as inferior and lacking skill when viewed from a western perspective as they were not hyper realistic (Schaede)
Deliberate rejection of western style, creating more informative paintings rather than realistic ones, using art as a means to tell history (Schaede)
Olaya served as a political martyr, dying to preserve Lima’s secrets (Eguiguren)
Once captured by the colonial army, Olaya was tortured yet he never gave up the information he carried, sacrificing his life for the sake of independence
How does this work relate to resistance?
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Olaya endured torture for the sake of helping his country
Patriotism above self preservation: the desire to contribute to the good of the people through selfless and sacrificial means, resisting the oppressors by all means
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Portraiture: a fisherman depicted in a style traditionally reserved for the elites, redefining the context of portraiture and reclaiming the style for means of rebellion rather than glorification of the upper class. In the portrait itself, Olaya can be viewed as a source of light.. The white of Olaya’s attire stands out and captures the viewer’s attention, becoming a figure that illuminates the scene and referencing religious figures that were depicted in a similar style
Overcoming physical barriers presented by the environment: the painting’s background serves as an allegory to the Martyr’s actions, showing him as triumphant over the landscape
Battle of Adwa: Ethiopia, 1896
By the 19th century, Italy had obtained colonial control over the African territories of Eritrea and Somalia. The italian colonizers then looked to Ethiopia to improve its foothold in the Eastern Horn of Africa.
On March 1, 1896, the Ethiopian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy fought. This fight was a decisive defeat for Italy and secured Ethiopian sovereignty. The death of the Ethiopian emperor Yohannes IV created a political vacuum in which leaders struggled for ascendancy. Menelik II rose to power with the help of Italian financial support and modern weapons and signed a treaty with the Italians in 1889.
The Treaty of Wichale formally recognized Italian colonial holdings and effectively made Ethiopia a protectorate of the Italian empire. Misunderstanding the clause of this treaty, Menelik II rejected the treaty in 1893 and prepared for an armed conflict with Italy.
Italian general Oreste Baratieri spotted Menelik’s forces at Adwa and led an attack in 1896. Baratieri’s force of 14,500 men came up against the Ethiopian force of some 100,000 fully equipped with modern weapons. The Italians were absolutely crushed in the battle, losing some 6,000 casualties.
The Ethiopians were victorious. Baratieri’s army had been completely annihilated while Menelik’s was intact as a fighting force and gained thousands of rifles and a great deal of equipment from the fleeing Italians.
Italy signed the Treaty of Addis Ababa, recognizing Ethiopia as an independent state. After this there was a period of peace in Ethiopia free from European colonialism.
The Black War : Tasmania, 1820-1832
Between 1820 - 1832, there was violent conflict between British colonists and Aboriginial Australians.
Aboritional attacks were motivated by revenge for European atrocities. They were also motivated by hunger to plunder settlers’ homes for food, since their hunting grounds shrank and native game disappeared.
The war nearly annihilated the island’s ingigenous population, and there is still debate over whether the black war should be defined as an act of genocide.
Escalation of violence in the 1820s prompted Lieutenant Governor George Arthur to declare martial law –– effectively providing legal immunity for killing aboritional people.
European violence was then motivated by mounting terror of Aborinial attacks and a conviction that extermination of the Aboriginal population was the only means by which peace could be secured.
Attacks were launched almost always in daylight with a variety of weapons including spears, rocks and waddies used to kill and maim settlers and shepherds, as well as their livestock, while homes, haystacks and crops were often set aflame.
European attacks, in contrast, were mainly launched at night or in the early hours of dawn by pursuit parties or roving parties of civilians or soldiers who aimed to strike as their quarry slept in bush camps.
Donghak Peasant Rebellion : Korea, 1894-1895
Led by followers of the Donghak, an indigenous religion to Korea, the peasant rebellion sparked against oppression from the ruling aristocratic class and opposed western culture influence in Korea, especially by Christian missionaries and Japanese imports.
The corrupt government created various bogus laws and forced the peasants to build reservoirs and settle in unown lands in order to profit from taxes and fines.
In March of that year, angered peasants allied under Jeon Bongjun and Kim Gaenam, beginning the Gobu Revolt. But, the Gobu revolt was suppressed by Yi Yongtae, and Jeon fled to Taein.
In April, Jeon gathered an army in Mount Baek and recaptured Gobu. The rebels then proceeded to defeat governmental forces in Hwangto Pass and the Hwangryong River.
Jeon then captured Jeonju Fortress and fought in siege with Hong Gyehun’s Joseon forces.
The frightened government asked the Qing Dynasty for help, which sent 2,700 soldiers to Korea. Japan, angered that the Qing government had not informed Japan, as promised in the Convention of Tientsin, started the Sino-Japanese War.
On October 12, a coalition army of Northern and Southern Jeobs were formed. The army, numbering from 25,00 - 200,000 (records differ) soldiers, went on to attack Gongju. After a number of battles, the army was decisively defeated in the Battle of Ugeumchi, and the rebels were again defeated in the battle of Taein.
Hostility continued deep into the spring of 1895. The rebel leaders were captured in various locations within the Honam Region, and most were executed via mass hanging in March.
The rebels requested remarriage of widows and the freedom of slaves to be included in the Gabo Reform. However, the reform was not supported because of its lack to include land reform, which is what the peasant needed most at the time.