ABSTRACT
On May 1st, 1839, the first repercussions about the discovery by painter and investigator Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre crossed the Atlantic and, although still wrapped by a certain mystery, they were published in Rio de Janeiro’s main periodical. The invention or discovery about which we are going to talk, deserves both titles; man’s nature and ingenuity can, in this case, compete for supremacy. Nature seems to be portraying itself, copying its own work, as well as the one of the arts. Transcribed here are two excerpts from the original article that appeared in Le Siecle: M. Daguerre’s precious discovery has certainly some precedents. It had been observed that several chemicals underwent noticeable changes as a result of the action of light. From January 6th, 1839, the matter started to be subjected to discussion and speculation among intellectuals and artists, as well as among the Parisian public in general.
