1500s Collection (#9)

Spanish attacked by Aztec warriors during La Noche Triste
La Noche Triste. when Aztec soldiers overwhelmed Cortess forces in Tenochtitlan. Printed color lithograph of a 19th-century painting by O. Graeff

EXPL2A-00177
Inca city of Cusco, Peru, in 1556, after the Spanish conquest. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of a 16th century illustration

Brazilian cannibalism, 1500s
Natives eating and cooking human flesh, northern Brazil, circa 1500. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction of a 16th-century illustration

Incas battling Spanish conquistadors in Peru
Manco Inca Yupanqui leads attack on the Spanish in Cusco, Peru, 1536. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

Church in Mexico City founded by Cortes
Church and Hospital of Jesus, founded by Cortes in Mexico City, 1500s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EXPL2A-00294
Tenochtitlan, capital city of Aztec Mexico, an Island connected by causeways to land, 1520s. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of an early Spanish colonial map

Writing with a quill pen
Scholar using a quill pen. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

German couple of the 1500s
German citizens of the late 16th century. Antique hand-colored print

Spanish nobility of the 1500s
Spanish lord and lady of the 16th century. Antique hand-colored print

EXPL2A-00173
Spanish conquistador on a horse with foal - the origin of the horse in colonial America. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century Frederic Remington illustration

DeSoto expedition retreating down the Mississippi, 1542
Spaniards descending Mississippi River after De Sotos death, 1542. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Balboa discovering the Pacific, 1513
Spanish expedition under Balboa discovering the Pacific Ocean, 1513. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EXPL2A-00226
Spanish ships of Hernando Cortes sailing to Mexico, 1519. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EXPL2A-00245
Spanish conquistador in armor on horseback, New Spain, 1500s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

EXPL2A-00268
Magellans ships at Mactan, an island in the Philippines, where Magellan was killed in a battle with natives, 1521. Hand-colored 19th-century halftone reproduction of a 16th-century engraving

Map of DeSotos route, 1540s
De Soto expeditions route across southeast North America, 1539-1542. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Great voyages of the age of exploration
Map of great voyages from 1492 to 1580. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Mariana Islands in the Pacific discovered by Magellan, 1521
The Ladrones, later called the Marianas, and a native outrigger drawn by Pigafetta on the Magellan expedition, 1521. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction of a 16th-century illustration

Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada
Conquistador Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada portrait. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of an earlier illustration

St. Augustine, Florida, founded by Menendez de Aviles
Pedro Menendez de Aviles laying out Saint Augustine, Florida, 1565. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Death of Columbus
Death of Christopher Columbus in Spain, 1506. Color lithograph reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, Spanish conqueror of Cuba. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of an earlier illustration

EXPL2A-00123
Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto discovering the Mississippi River, 1540. Hand-colored engraving of a 19th-century illustration

Country life in medieval Europe
Country life in France in the late Middle Ages. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of a 1517 edition of Virgil published in Lyons

Conquistadors battling New World natives
Battle of Santa Cruz, the first bloodshed in the New World. Color lithograph of a painting by O. Graeff

Magellans route across the Pacific
Route of Magellans ships across the Pacific while circumnavigating the earth, 1519-1522. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Formal garden of the late Middle Ages
Spring work in a European formal garden with raised beds, about 1590. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction of a 16th-century illustration

EXPL2A-00325
Map of New France and Canada, 1597. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of a 16th-century map printed in Wytfliet

People in Elizabethan England
English merchant (left), noble, and a lady-in-waiting for Elizabeth I. Antique hand-colored print

Sir Francis Drake
Admiral Francis Drake, first Englishman to sail around the world. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of an illustration

Early cannon used in battle, early 1500s
English artillery in action during the reign of Henry VIII. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Women in 16th-century England
Lady of the court and a country woman during the reign of Elizabeth I, 1572. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction of a 16th-century illustration

Tower of London in the late 1500s
Tower of London in Elizabethan England. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 1597 chart

Elizabethan lords and a halberdier
Two Peers, in their robes, and a halberdier during Elizabethans reign, 1500s. Color lithograph reproduction

Alexandria, Egypt, in the 1500s
Map of Alexandria, showing the lighthouse Pharos at the harbor entrance in the 1500s. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of a medieval illustration

Colonists arriving on Roanoke Island, 1585
Landing of first English settlers on Roanoke Island under Richard Grenville, 1585. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Disappearance of Roanoke Island colonists, 1591
Return of Governor John White to find Roanoke colonists have vanished, 1591. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Insignia of the African Company, 1588
African Company arms, incorporated in London in 1588. Hand-colored woodcut reproduction of a 16th-century illustration

Dragon Tiger 1500s Sesson Shūkei Japanese
Dragon and Tiger, 1500s. Sesson Shūkei (Japanese, 1504-1589). Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink on paper

Tiger 1500s Sesson Shūkei Japanese 1504-1589
Tiger, 1500s. Sesson Shūkei (Japanese, 1504-1589). Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink on paper; overall: 168.7 x 350.4 cm (66 7/16 x 137 15/16 in.); image

Dragon 1500s Sesson Shūkei Japanese 1504-1589
Dragon, 1500s. Sesson Shūkei (Japanese, 1504-1589). Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink on paper; overall: 168.7 x 350.4 cm (66 7/16 x 137 15/16 in.); image

Three Scenes Passion Christ recto Architectural Sketch
Three Scenes from the Passion of Christ (recto) Architectural Sketch (verso), 1500s. Northern Italy, 16th century. Pen and brown ink and brush and brown wash over traces of black chalk; framing line

Virgin Child Saint John recto Unidentifiable
Virgin and Child with Saint John (recto) Unidentifiable (verso), 1500s. Italy, 16th century. Pen and black ink and brush and brown wash and blue, green

Three Scenes Passion Christ 1500s Northern Italy
Three Scenes from the Passion of Christ, 1500s. Northern Italy, 16th century. Pen and brown ink and brush and brown wash over traces of black chalk; framing line (left edge) in brown ink; sheet

Architectural Sketch 1500s Italy 16th century
Architectural Sketch, 1500s. Italy, 16th century. Pen and brown ink with red chalk (on separately applied piece of paper); pricked and pounced in left half (for an unrelated image); sheet

Virgin Child Saint John 1500s Italy 16th century
Virgin and Child with Saint John, 1500s. Italy, 16th century. Pen and black ink and brush and brown wash and blue, green, red and red-purple gouache; sheet

Fragment Silk Damask Textile 1500s Italy Spain
Fragment of Silk Damask Textile, 1500s. Italy or Spain, 16th century. Damask, silk; average: 47.6 x 53.3 cm (18 3/4 x 21 in.)

Half-Length Figure Study Woman 1500s Ludovico Cardi Cigoli
Half-Length Figure Study of a Woman, 1500s. Ludovico Cardi Cigoli (Italian, 1559-1613). Red chalk over traces of black chalk; sheet: 39.4 x 17 cm (15 1/2 x 6 11/16 in.)

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

The 1500s were a time of exploration, innovation, and cultural transformation. In the realm of art and science, geniuses like Leonardo da Vinci left their mark with groundbreaking works such as "Skull anatomy, " revealing the intricacies of human anatomy. Meanwhile, cartographers like Gerardus Mercator (GGBR2A-00076) created maps that expanded our understanding of the world. Orteliuss map of the Ottoman Empire in 1570 showcased the vast territories under its rule, while Durer's world map from 1515 provided a glimpse into how people perceived Earth at that time. These maps painted a picture of an ever-expanding global landscape. In Florence during this era, architects and urban planners crafted detailed plans for cities like never before seen. The 16th Century Plan of Florence exemplified this meticulous approach to city design. Oronce Fine's world map from 1531 furthered geographical knowledge by incorporating new discoveries made during expeditions around the globe. It was through these maps that Europeans began to comprehend just how vast our planet truly is. The use of firearms also revolutionized warfare during this period. Arquebusses became prevalent on battlefields across Europe in the 16th century, changing military tactics forever. Religion played a significant role in shaping society during this time as well. Figures like John Calvin emerged as influential theologians whose ideas would have lasting impacts on Protestantism and beyond. Maps continued to evolve throughout the century; one notable example being Map of Palestine in 1588 which depicted important biblical sites within its borders. Similarly, a detailed map showcasing British Isles shed light on England's growing influence over neighboring lands. By the turn of the century, Europe had undergone immense changes politically and culturally - reflected by Map of Europe from 1600 which captured shifting borders and emerging nation-states.