L'Ynca du Pérou aux pieds de Pizarre

What it is

A black-and-white etching made by A.C.F. Villerey after a work by Mme. Vallain, held by the Wellcome Collection. It shows a figure identified as possibly Atahualpa kneeling before a standing man in military dress who points a pistol.

Why it matters

This image is a later, imagined French depiction of the dramatic moment of Atahualpa's capture by Francisco Pizarro's forces. The curators note the identification as Atahualpa is uncertain, showing how later European artists created dramatic scenes around the conquest without direct evidence of what actually happened.

Look closer

• Why might the curators be unsure whether this figure is really meant to be Atahualpa?
• What does the pointed pistol suggest about how the artist wanted viewers to feel?
• What is missing from this scene that might have been part of the real historical event?