Abstract

PALAZZO, Carmen Licia. Permanences and changes in french imagery about Brazil (XVI to XVIII centuries). Imaginario [online]. 2007, vol.13, n.14, pp. 105-138. ISSN 1413-666X.

This article addresses the French views of Brazil from the XVI to XVIII centuries, aiming at detecting permanences and transformations within the context of a study that favors the long duration. The theoretical focus adopted is that of Cultural History, with an emphasis on the study of the formation of images of Otherness. It was taken as a basic premise that the traditional chronological sections of historiography do not correspond to the changes in mentalities, which are very slowly transformed. A hypothesis was then established that in voyagers’ accounts of the XVI and XVII centuries, a strong evidence for the so-called Modern Age could hardly be found. All along the XVI century and until the middle of the XVII century, the views of Brazil were largely tied to the Medieval imaginary. It was only from the XVIII century onwards that a break could be seen, with significant changes in mentalities. The way of looking at Otherness is then changed under the influence of Natural History and the Reason of the Enlightenment, breaking with the Medieval view of world but, on the downside, letting go a rich imagery that had oftentimes been the key to a better understanding of the difference.

Keywords : Voyagers; Medieval imagery; Enlightenment; Otherness.

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