As the print capital of early modern Europe, Venice developed a unique relationship to the Americas. Horodowich demonstrates how with their printed texts and maps, Venetian newsmongers embraced a fertile tension between the distant and the close. In doing so, they played a crucial yet heretofore unrecognized role in the invention of America.
The book delves into the diverse representations of the Amerasian continuum by European artists, writers, and cartographers in the two centuries following Columbus's arrival. It examines how these creators depicted the cultural and geographical intersections between Europe and the Americas, highlighting the evolving perceptions and narratives surrounding this complex relationship. Through various mediums, the work illustrates the impact of these representations on the understanding of identity and cross-cultural interactions during this pivotal historical period.