Historians debunk smartphone conspiracy in 1937 mural

A 1937 mural titled ‘Mr. Pynchon and the Settling of Springfield’ has sparked social media conspiracy theories claiming an indigenous man in the painting is holding a modern smartphone. The artwork, created by Italian American muralist Umberto Romano, is located in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Office building.

While users on X have suggested the rectangular, reflective object depicted in the man's hands is an iPhone or a device indicating time travel, historians provide a more grounded explanation. They suggest the object is actually a mirror, which were common trade items in the 17th-century American colonies depicted in the scene.

The mural was one of six commissioned for the Springfield Main Post Office and was funded by the Federal Arts Project, a government program active during the Great Depression.