Festival of Our Lady of the Rosary, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ca. 1770s

Carlos Juliao, Riscos illuminados de figurinhos de broncos e negros dos uzos do Rio de Janeiro e Serro do Frio (Rio de Janeiro, 1960), plate 35. The prints used as plates in this book are housed in the Secao de Iconografia in the National Library of Brazil; the historical introduction and descriptive catalogue were written by Lygia da Foneseca Fernandes da Cunha. (Copy in Tulane University Library)

This picture shows the elaborate clothing styles of female enslaved participants in the festival; they wear high heeled shoes with buckles, necklaces and other jewellery. Two of the women carry silver trays filled with coins which they ‘begged’ from spectators. The group follows a small boy wearing colourful clothing adorned by feathers, holding a piece of wood and a small axe.