Inspiration for the Conquest of Mexico Paintings
Antonio de Solís served King Charles II of Spain as the official historian for the American colonies. In his monumental Historia de la conquista de México, written more than 150 years after the events described, Solís relied heavily on the work of previous chroniclers, including Lopéz de Gomara, Bernal Díaz del Castillo, and Hernán Cortés himself. Written in an elegant and dramatic style, the book was immediately successful and was translated into other languages, including English. The book brought new attention to Cortés and to a heroic view of the Spanish Conquest. This work may have directly inspired the Conquest of Mexico series of paintings.
Antonio de Solís served King Charles II of Spain as the official historian for the American colonies. In his monumental <em>Historia de la conquista de Mxéico</em>, written more than 150 years after the events described, Solís relied heavily on the work of previous chroniclers, including Lopéz de Gomara, Bernal Díaz del Castillo, and Hernán Cortés himself. Written in an elegant and dramatic style, the book was immediately successful and was translated into other languages, including English. The book brought new attention to Cortés and to a heroic view of the Spanish Conquest. This work may have directly inspired the Conquest of Mexico series of paintings.