Colecionar o Brasil : de José Vieira Couto a D. Leopoldina de Habsburgo-Bragança (séc. XVIII-XIX)

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore the collecting experiences of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, with the goal of analyzing the types of museums that existed during this period. The research discusses the Natural History collecting practices of this time and how they influenced the formation of important collections, which served not only for the enjoyment of their owners but also for fostering research on Brazilian nature. The study proposes a new perspective on the history of museums in Brazil, expanding the view to earlier or parallel examples to the Casa de História Natural, also known as Casa dos Pássaros, in Rio de Janeiro, often seen by scholars as the founding landmark of Brazilian museums. In this context, figures such as José Vieira Couto, D. Frei Cipriano de São José, Antônio de Araújo e Azevedo (Count of Barca), José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, and Empress D. Leopoldina of Habsburg are analyzed to understand the formation of their museums and their impact on science at the time. Additionally, the study aims to contribute to the field of the History of Collections and Museums in Brazil, which is still developing and addresses important questions about the impact of collections and museums on the construction of human knowledge.