The Styrian Table of Peoples () is an early 18th-century oil painting which shows stereotypical depictions of 10 different European peoples above a table of their purported characteristics. The painting provides an example of historic ethnic stereotypes.
Origin The painter of the Völkertafel is unknown, as is its exact date of creation, but it is assumed to have been painted in the Styria region of Austria in the early 1700s. There are at least six copies, and it is not possible to tell which is the original. The Völkertafel was likely based on a 1720 engraving by Joseph Friedrich Leopold.
Of the 6 known extant copies, 3 are held at the Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art in Vienna, and the other 3 are held at museums in Bad Aussee, Moosham and .
Content and analysis The top of the table shows 10 figures, which correspond the countries of Spain, France, Italy, Germany, England, Sweden, Poland, Hungarian, Russia and Turkey/Greece. The table shows 17 characteristics such as manners, intellect or vices and charts how the people of the 10 nations correspond to these characteristics. The descriptions are harsher on the right side of the table, with Turkey/Greece shown in the most negative light.
The table below shows the characteristics assigned to each nation in the Völkertafel, translated into English:
+Short description of the peoples found in Europe and their characteristicsSpaniardFrenchmanItalianGermanEnglishmanSwedePoleHungarianRussianTurk or GreekAppearanceHaughtyFrivolousDeviousOpenheartedAgreeableStrong and tallBoorishDisloyalMalicious(Changes) like April weatherCharacter and personalityWondrousFriendly and talkativeJealousQuite goodCharmingCruelMore cruelMost cruelReally HungarianA lying devilIntellectClever and wiseCautiousSagaciousShrewdGracefulAdamantDisdainfulMore disdainfulNothingPretentiousTraitsManlyChildishOpportunisticImitativeWomanlyInscrutableMediocreBloodthirstyEndlessly rudeTenderSciencesTheologyWarfareCanon lawJurisprudenceGeographyLiberal artsLanguagesLatinGreekPolitical treacheryNational dressRespectableVariableModestImitates othersAfter French fashionLeatherLong coatsMulticolouredFursEffeminateVicesVainDeceitfulCovetousProdigalRestlessSuperstitiousHoggishTreacherousMore treacherousMost treacherousPreferencesHonour and GloryWarGoldDrinkingPleasuresExpensive foodNobilityRebellionBeatingNarcissismDiseasesConstipationSyphilisPlaguePodagraConsumptionDropsyDiarrheaEpilepsyWhooping coughExhaustionTheir countriesFertileWell-cultivatedBeautiful and delightfulGoodFertileMountainousWoodedRich in gold and fruitIcyPleasantWar virtuesGenerousCunningCautiousInvincibleHeroic at seaUndauntedImpetuousInsurgentCumbersomeLazyPietyOutstandingGoodA tad betterVery piousChangeable like the moonZealousBelieves all sorts of thingsEnergeticAn infidelThe sameTheir masterA monarchA kingA patriarchAn emperorNow one, now anotherLiberalAn elected oneA chosen oneA volunteerA tyrantSuperfluity inFruitCommoditiesWineGrainPasturesIron-ore minesFursEverythingBeesSoft thingsPastimesGamesCheatingGossipingDrinkingWorkingEatingArguingIdlenessSleepingBeing illEquivalent animalElephantFoxLynxLionHorseOxBearWolfDonkeyCatLives endIn bedIn battleIn the monasteryIn wineIn waterOn the groundIn the stableBy sabreIn the snowIn fraud
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