Who is Humboldt’s indigenous companion standing next to him and handing him a sextant in Weitsch’s painting? In the previous art historical descriptions of the painting, this person is usually not mentioned at all.4 One searches in vain for his name and his story. Obviously, he has the important task of taking care of the scientific instruments, since he is still holding the case of the sextant so proudly displayed by Humboldt. He is just as tall as the European researcher, and despite his slightly submissive gaze, he is the focus of the painting together with Humboldt. Alexander von Humboldt and José de la Cruz Detail from fig. 1 Alexander von Humboldt and José de la Cruz
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