TheEquestrianStatueControversy

The equestrian statue of Dom Pedro I, located in the old Largo do Rocio – later called Praça da Constituição and, finally, Praça Tiradentes – was the first great public monument built in the country. Its inauguration, however, took place amid a series of controversies within the political framework of the period. The first to submit a proposal to the Chamber requesting the construction and the tribute was Haddock Lobo (1817-1869), in a session on September 7, 1854.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white historical document. It is arranged vertically, with the title "EDITAES" at the top. Below, there is a reference to "ILLMA. CAMARA MUNICIPAL". The main text describes a decision made by the municipal council on September 7, 1854, deciding to hold a voluntary subscription to fund the construction of an equestrian statue in memory of Senhor D. Pedro I. The document mentions that the subscription book is still available at the Paço Municipal and that all interested persons may contribute by sending their donations to the treasurer. The text is signed by Luiz Joaquim de Gouveia, secretary, on October 16, 1854.

The competition to choose the winning design for the creation of the statue took place under the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts during the year 1855. Its winner was the Academy's secretary, João Antonio Mafra (1823-1908), a Brazilian, but the project was carried out by the French sculptor Louis Rochet, who placed third in the original competition. The bronze sculptures were made and cast in Paris, making the national monument a multinational work.

The inauguration was scheduled for March 30, 1862. Its location, however, was the basis of an intense controversy. Largo do Rocio was not only a gathering place for crowds and popular uprisings, but was also the site where Tiradentes was hanged. This insurgent memory of a movement that opposed the Monarchy and the Bragança dynasty became a symbol for liberals and republicans. On the day of its inauguration, pamphlets against the statue were distributed, and the leader of the 1842 revolt, Teófilo Otoni, publicly called the work a "bronze lie."

The 3.3-meter statue, which shows Pedro I atop his horse, carrying the Constitution charter in one hand, raised on a base that reproduces four of the main Brazilian rivers (Amazonas, Madeira, São Francisco, and Paraná) through indigenous figures and animals such as tapirs and anteaters, showed how Rio's society was already mobilized by aesthetic debates that involved their political aspirations. Despite the controversies, its unveiling was a national acclaim, with people coming from other cities to see it.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph. The image shows a square with a large equestrian statue in the center. On the left, there are two-story buildings with sloped roofs. In the center, the equestrian statue of a man mounted on a horse, with additional human figures at its base. On the right, there is monumental architecture with columns and a decorated pediment. People are walking through the square, and the sky appears cloudy. In the lower right, there is a signature that appears to read "Bancari."

Nowadays, the statue is seen by artists of new generations as a representation of the colonial and imperial period, along with its slaveholding legacy. Amid the movements rethinking the role of monuments linked to the racial exploitation of slavery around the world, the artist Diambe Silva and a group of collaborators organized on January 22, 2020, the action Devolta, in which torn pieces of clothing soaked in gasoline were placed around the monument and set on fire, creating a ring of fire. This fleeting action marks yet another of the many uses and political meanings the statue has taken on in the city since its inauguration in 1862.

Image description: This is a nighttime photograph of a monument in an urban square. On the left side, we see tall buildings with lit windows. In the center, there is a monumental structure with statues and a central column. In front of the monument, surrounded by metal railings, there are flames burning on the ground. On the right, there are more buildings and trees. Streetlights are visible, casting rays of light. The sky is dark, suggesting the photo was taken at night.