The four continents / Kent Monkman.

The Four Continents is comprised of a series of paintings made between 2012 and 2016. In this series, Monkman takes as his point of departure Giovanni Battista Tiepolo's epic frescoes commissioned for a private residence in Würzburg, Germany. The centrepiece of the Tiepolo series represented a day in the life of the Greek god, Apollo, with the four continents allegorized in peripheral scenes. In Monkman's reinterpretation, each continent is personified by a Two-Spirit sovereign with Miss Chief playing the roles of Africa, America, Asia, and Europe. Tiepolo's allegory is updated to include architectural wonders and notable figures from history amidst chaotic crowds.