In the 1910s, Ricardo Krone photographs indigenous peoples between São Paulo and Paraná.
15 period photographs of Guarani Indians by Ricardo Krone.
Approximately 11 cm x 15 cm.
Relatively thin and flexible paper.
In good condition, despite having low contrast.
Recorded in the Paranapanema Valley, between São Paulo and Paraná, around 1910.
Ricardo Krone (1869-1939) was a German engineer, explorer, photographer and ethnologist who settled in Brazil in the late 19th century. Working mainly between São Paulo and Paraná, he stood out for documenting indigenous peoples, especially the Guarani, and for exploring archaeological sites and fossils. His goal was to scientifically document the culture, customs and impact of colonization on these communities.
In addition to collecting artifacts such as pre-colonial ceramics and tools, Krone used photography to record indigenous peoples, their cultural practices, archaeological sites, and the region's landscapes, as exemplified by the photographs he took in 1910 in the Paranapanema Valley. These images, of great historical and scientific value, were sent to museums and institutions in Brazil (such as the Museu Paulista) and in Germany, his country of origin, becoming important testimonies of a time when colonization and modern advances threatened these cultures. Some of them became postcards and gained notoriety. Much of Krone's collection was lost over time, which makes the preserved images – like these – invaluable historical and cultural records about the Guarani and Brazil from that period.