ABSTRACT
Brazil is the largest and the only Portuguese-speaking country in South America. The history of its settlement and colonization is fascinating. Spanish, Dutch, French and English, among others, disputed ownership of its territory with the Portuguese explorers and with the Native Indians. During the 19th and 20th centuries, countless waves of European and Asian immigrants arrived, to complete this continent-sized melting pot. This chapter deals with the presence of Egyptianizing motifs in Brazil since the early 18th century. These elements can still be encountered in commemorative monuments, public and commercial buildings, and private houses; mainly in the form of obelisks and pyramids. The presence of Egyptian symbols in paintings, decorative arts and commercial logos is evident in Brazil. In 1808, Dom Joo VI, at this time Prince Regent of Portugal, landed in Rio de Janeiro, bringing with him around 15,000 members of the Portuguese court.
