Evangelization and exoticism. The representation of the American Indian in the Palace of the Missions of Barcelona, 1929

Abstract

The aim of this article is to look into the development of one of the pavilions in the International Exhibition of Barcelona in 1929 called «el Palacio de las Misiones». In this pavilion, the representation of «the others», who are in this case indigenous peoples of America, had to be effective for the objectives of the missions to be achieved. This representation was created using exhibition media of the time, like photography. These images are an essential element of the history of missions’ and of anthropology because they created a new type of science which was coherent with Christianization and the Christian message; a science that even today influences the conception of American indigenous people and therefore anthropology in countries with a catholic tradition such as Spain or Italy.