A "painter of race": reflections on art and science upon works by Modesto Brocos

• Grant number: 11/04829-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Anthropology
• Principal Investigator: Lilia Katri Moritz Schwarcz
• Grantee: Tatiana Helena Lotierzo Hirano
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Taking the painting and books by the Santiago de Compostela artist Modesto Brocos y Gómez (1852-1936) as its object, this project aims to investigate the dialogue between the Fine Arts and the scientific imaginary in the context of ascension of the racial theories in Brazil, from late Nineteenth century to early Twentieth century - what we understand to have resulted in unique forms to represent Brazil's racial/national identity. We believe that the search for "truth" in the art production of that time, expressed in the works by Brocos, met certain projects of cataloguing and organising the world through ideas of physiognomy, anatomy and race, and contributed to strengthen national projects. The works by Modesto Brocos open possibilities of understanding such a dialogue, since the painter not only assumed a commitment with "truth" in his painting", but was also recognised by the scientific accuracy in his art work. (AU)