A monument to Brazil: thoughts on the reception of the book : Brazil Picturesque, de Victor Frond and Charles Ribeyrolles (1859-1861)

Author(s)

Maria Antonia Couto da Silva

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Campinas, SP.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Instituto de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas
• Defense date: 2011-02-15

Examining board members

Claudia Valladão de Mattos Avolese; Luciano Migliaccio; Iara Lís Franco Schiavinatto; Almerinda da Silva Lopes; Maria Inez Turazzi

• Advisor: Claudia Valladão de Mattos Avolese

Abstract

In this thesis I have analyzed the reception of the book the Brazil Pittoresco (Picturesque Brazity, produced by the French Charles Ribeyrolles and Victor Frond (1859-1861), and considered by the critic Alexandre Eulálio as one of the "highest moments of our 19th century iconography". The search on periodicals of the end of the 1850's and the beginning of the following decade has revealed new data about the historical context of the book's publication and, moreover, about its importance to the artistic Brazilian realm. The book presents a series of images that associate photography with lithography, two technical innovations that relate to modernity. Repercussion wise, two letters from the writer Victor Hugo to Ribeyrolles, amply publicized back then, lead us into reflecting upon the relevant role assumed by the book regarding the 19th century Brazilian artistic realm and upon its importance as a liberal and abolitionist work. Conceived in order to represent Brazil in the 1862's London Universal Exhibition, the book produced a huge impact on its times, be it because of its text or because of its illustrations. Among the lithographs, which were produced in France from Frond's photographs, we call attention upon the Rio de Janeiro's landscape series and the one that records slave work at haciendas in the Fluminense region. The latter is the most studied nowadays. The Brazil Pittoresco images, which were amply publicized, gained autonomy and brought about formal innovations that proved to be important for the production of painters and photographers of the period. (AU)