In this art history, Núria Sala i Vila explores the representation of otherness in the iconography of the people of the Peruvian Amazon during the eighteenth century. The author argues that what we see in most of these representations is actually a “double otherness” (doble alteridad)—which not only was the result of the gaze of an outsider but in most cases was generated by a third party without direct experience with the subjects they were depicting. This problem of studying Amazonian people through the lens of others is a well-known concern among scholars of the region; however, Sala i Vila demonstrates how images, as opposed to written texts, about the Amazon and its people were probably the most potent medium in disseminating knowledge during the eighteenth century. To accomplish this, the author examines both the observers, whether they be highland Andeans, Catalan missionaries, or scientific explorers, and the re-creation of their observation by others. In doing so, Sala i Vila reveals the flaws in popular conceptions of Amazonian peoples in the eighteenth century, many of which remain with us today.The book opens with a discussion of highland Andeans' perceptions of Amazonian people. In many ways they shaped the Spanish colonizers' first impressions of Amazonia. The author explores depictions of Amazonian ethnic groups by well-known Andean chroniclers such as Felipe Guáman Poma de Ayala. She also explores representations on Andean queros, highly decorated cups used in ceremonies. In general, while highland Andeans did show Amazonian peoples with some accuracy, they tended to also portray them as savages, less civilized than their highland counterparts.Chapter 2 is where the core analysis begins, with an examination of images of Amazonian peoples created by Catalan Franciscan missionaries during the eighteenth century. At first these images were reflections of already existing stereotypes, but as the century went on and the Franciscans had more contact with Amazonians, these images became more accurate, highlighting the dress and customs of the various ethnic groups that the missionaries encountered. These more accurate images, however, were by no means focused on Indigenous peoples. Instead, most were representations of the Franciscan martyrs who had died in service as missionaries to the Amazons. This meant that while some depictions were of peaceful converts, most were bellicose scenes of Franciscans being massacred—a rather skewed perception indeed. These types of images were reproduced as part of a campaign for increased government assistance in Franciscan missionary efforts, especially those carried out by Santa Rosa de Ocopa.Chapters 3, 4, and 5 explore images produced during scientific expeditions in the eighteenth century. In most cases, these expeditions were at the behest of the Spanish government and focused primarily on the discoveries of commercially beneficial products that could be sold for profit. Therefore, while Amazonian peoples were depicted in these accounts, they were minor characters next to the flora and fauna. These expeditions include those carried out by Hipólito Ruiz for the Enlightenment-inspired periodical the Mercurio Peruano and Francisco Requena's survey of the Peruvian Amazon to determine Spain's newly negotiated border with Portugal.The final chapters (chapters 6 and 7) demonstrate how texts and images created by firsthand missionary and scientific accounts of the Amazon later became the source material from which other authors drew to create widely disseminated images of the Amazon and its people. These secondhand accounts were the greatest culprits in exacerbating stereotypes about Amazonian peoples and perpetuating inaccurate descriptions of the region. In the case of the Franciscans (discussed in chapter 6), these images served as recruitment and fundraising tools aimed at further expanding their missionary effort. For the more scientific publications, the goal was to advance government investment in developing commerce in the Amazon. Either way, these are the images that became widely circulated and have affected the popular perception of Spanish Amazonia since their creation.This book has much to be praised. Indeed, the collection of images alone, many of which have not been previously published, is an impressive feat. Particularly fascinating is appendix 1, which has a guide to the ways in which each major ethnic group in Spanish Amazonia was portrayed in various publications throughout the eighteenth century. However, while the work does demonstrate in great detail how Amazonian people were portrayed, it does not give them any voice as to their portrayal. Furthermore, I would have liked to have seen some discussion of Jorge Cañizares-Esguerra's interpretation of the Enlightenment in Latin America. Nevertheless, the book is an essential text for understanding the historiography of the Spanish Amazon.
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Mar 9, 2023
Maitreesh Ghatak + 1
Open Access
