Visualizing Empire

Overall, I would say that the cultural reading that was presented to us through the lecture seems realistic and I am able to believe it. It focuses on every aspect and detail in both the foreground and the background. The ideas focus on the genders, status indicators based on the activities being done, and identifies the other cultures coming into one picture. The picture represents both the classic influences and the indigenous ideas that show larger scale of the world in the time period. The idea of America being led by wisdom resinates with me because I look at the picture and recognize those people in the foreground. These pictures seem to be classical figures with their status being shown because of the scale of the foreground. I also noticed and remembered the look of the sun shine down on those classical figures as if they should be the center of attention to all people. All the ideas presented make the most sense to me and seem believable. The one aspect that I question and am interested in is the ships in the way back of the picture. These ships look to be European or Spanish style ships. I would go on to say these represent those who sail and find the world and discover more as time goes on. I would be interested to speak with the artist and identify his ideas and influences of the painting, especially the ships.