Abstract

AGUAYO HERNANDEZ, Fernando. Analyzing a Story of “Unique” Photographs: Désiré Charnay (1857-1860). Secuencia [online]. 2020, n.106, e1713.  Epub Mar 02, 2020. ISSN 2395-8464.  https://doi.org/10.18234/secuencia.v0i106.1713.

This article analyzes the image of the explorer Désiré Charnay, in other words, the idea and representation people have of this explorer, due to the story he wrote, which has been read without analyzing the contradictions that exist in his statements. This study will discuss the originality of his photographic work in two respects: on the one hand, analyzing it in contrast to the work of the Hungarian Pál Rosti, and on the other, discussing the scientific contributions of Charnay’s photographs, without neglecting to question the alleged activity of this “solitary explorer”. Thus, the hypothesis developed is that, like every image, the idea we have of this character is a result of the light emitted at a particular time and for a specific purpose. By changing the distribution of light, it is possible to recover other characters and intentions and new interpretations through more critical, contextualized explanations.

Keywords : photography; explorers; archaeology; Charnay; Rosti.

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