The book is a historiographical investigation into the arrival of photography in South America. The author analyses the social, political and cultural context that, in 1839, encouraged the French State to finance the voyage around the world of the French frigate "LœOriental", during its passage through Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, the way in which photographs were taken in each of those countries with the daguerreotype cameras on board, and the influence that this experience had on the expansion of photography in South America. The intended expedition round the world on what was described in France as an âecole flottanteʺ, and in other countries as Colegio hidrográficoʺ and Naval School Expeditionʺ allowed French photographer Louis Comte to give the first demonstrations of the daguerreotype south of the equator. It took place at the hotel Pharoux in Rio de Janeiro on 17 January 1840 and on 29 February at the Uruguayan Palacio del Cabildo in Montevideo.

The book is a historiographical investigation into the arrival of photography in South America. The author analyses the social, political and cultural context that, in 1839, encouraged the French State to finance the voyage around the world of the French frigate "LœOriental", during its passage through Brazil, Uruguay and Chile, the way in which photographs were taken in each of those countries with the daguerreotype cameras on board, and the influence that this experience had on the expansion of photography in South America. The intended expedition round the world on what was described in France as an âecole flottanteʺ, and in other countries as Colegio hidrográficoʺ and Naval School Expeditionʺ allowed French photographer Louis Comte to give the first demonstrations of the daguerreotype south of the equator. It took place at the hotel Pharoux in Rio de Janeiro on 17 January 1840 and on 29 February at the Uruguayan Palacio del Cabildo in Montevideo.