Marc Ferrez (1843–1923), Brazil
Taunay Waterfall in Tijuca Forest, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, c. 1885
Vintage photographic print
Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros
During the 19th century, Marc Ferrez captured the Brazilian landscape in photographs intended for national and global audiences. His works were bought by the Brazilian creole elite, admired by Brazil’s emperor Dom Pedro II (reigned 1831–89), and exhibited in international expositions. The waterfalls at Tijuca, on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, provided a place of leisure for the upper classes of the city. The contrast of the cascading falls and the two women strolling on the rocks displays the power of nature at odds with the civilizing force of man.