The Instruction of Drawing: Artistic Creative Formation in the Amazon (Late 18th Century)

But, was drawing instruction in the Amazonian region of Mojos a means to “civilize” Indigenous populations in the late 18th century, or did it become a form of cultural affirmation? Influenced by the Count of Campomanes' idea that drawing could promote industry, Governor Lázaro de Ribera viewed the teaching of drawing techniques to Indigenous communities as a path to economic progress. This process of creative formation anchored Mojos artists within the Enlightenment ideals of the Spanish Empire. However, in Mojos, the practice of copying and imitating academic prints by Carracci, Guercino, and Le Brun led to unique reinterpretations of European art. This talk explores how these drawings reflect a blend of Neoclassical imitation and colonial mimicry, revealing both the influence and creative agency of Indigenous artists, who subtly transformed European symbols of authority.

Verónica Muñoz-Nájar is the Associate Curator of Art of the Spanish Americas at the Thoma Foundation. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, her M.A. from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University (NYU), and completed her undergraduate studies at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Her research focuses on colonial Latin American art, with particular attention to the transatlantic circulation of objects, the biopolitics of colonial tropicalism during the Bourbon era, and early modern print culture.

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Scientific Organization: Elena Amerio