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Reflexão
Father António Vieira (Painting)
Portrait of Father António Vieira preaching to two indigenous Brazilians. His purposely central and elevated figure is placed in direct contrast to the two natives who look down on him, in positions of submission.
The image is clear in its message: Vieira's figure is undoubtedly the most important in terms of control and power. His left hand, resting on the shoulder of the indigenous figure, reveals paternalistic and condescending ideas, where these figures are placed around him as mere visual decoration of the ideas of evangelisation and colonial civilising mission.
The contrast between the figures and the formula used in this and similar images served above all to construct the colonial narrative that was distributed by Europe - a romanticised idea of colonisation and evangelist missions that ignores the resistance and multiple revolts of the indigenous peoples to forced evangelisation.