Meeting of Europe and Tropical Brazil: Encouragement, Reciprocal Admiration of Two Worlds and Impressive Images for Science and Culture

Abstract

There were meetings between Europe and tropical Brazil during scientific and artistic missions in the first half of the 19th century. The French Artistic Mission came in 1816 to establish the first arts Academy in Rio de Janeiro; and in 1817 Austrian, Czech, and German artists participating in the Austrian-German Mission to Brazil. The explorer Baron Langsdorff was in charge of various expeditions between 1824 and 1829, and the artist Johann Moritz Rugendas took part in the last mission organized by him. He also published Viagem pitoresca através do Brasil (1827/1835) and returned to Brazil in 1845 to paint a portrait of the Brazilian Royal Family. In terms of legacy, the French Artistic Mission introduced classical European art to Brazil, whereas the contribution of the scientific expeditions from Central Europe was mainly in the area of the natural sciences: e. g. mineralogy, botany, and astronomy.