[Studio Portrait: Two Male Street Vendors in Profile with Baskets, Brazil] 1864 - 1866

Christiano Junior made this photograph of two male street vendors in Brazil. Studio photography like this was extremely popular in Brazil. With Brazil's booming coffee economy, and the slow decline of slavery, people from all walks of life wanted their pictures taken. The photograph captures two Afro-Brazilian men carrying woven baskets. It presents them in a dignified manner, emphasizing their role as workers. The baskets themselves, meticulously crafted, speak to the skill and labor of these individuals. It’s important to consider the cultural context in which this image was made. Brazil was undergoing significant social and economic changes, with a growing urban population and increasing demand for goods and services. The act of photographing these men can be seen as an attempt to document and classify the different social groups that made up Brazilian society at the time. By examining census records, newspaper articles, and other historical documents, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social and economic conditions that shaped this photograph and the lives of the people it depicts. The image provides us with insight into the complex social and institutional dynamics of 19th-century Brazil.