92 – 93 Alexander von Humboldt at Chimborazo | 1 Cf. Männl 2020, pp. 45–58. – Differently: Lacher 2003, pp. 147–154, 304 f. | 2 Cf. Humboldt 2006, pp. 79–103. | 3 Cf. Männl 2020, p. 55, n. 32. | 4 Krätz 1997, p. 71 (‘On this painting by F. G. Weitsch from 1810, he [Humboldt] can be seen dressed in the European fashion, on the high plateau of the Andes in 1802 handling a sextant.’). – Lacher 2003, p. 304, cat. no. W348 (‘Humboldt in the right foreground with sextant and Bonpland with herbarium.’). – Thanks to Laia Ribera Cañénguez for inspiration on the following research. | 5 Cf. Faak 2003, p. 152. – Wolf 2016, pp. 112 f. | 6 Cf. Schaper 2018, p. 105. | 7 Cf. Faak 2003, p. 85. | 8 Cf. Biermann/Schwarz 2007, p. 87. – Pelizaeus 2018, pp. 88–92. | 9 Cf. Zantop 1999, pp. 191–197. The scientific instruments that Humboldt and Bonpland carried with them were the keys to the success of their research and were indispensable to their travels.5 Therefore, the guardian of the instruments had a prominent position, which is evident in the painting. In August 1799, immediately after their arrival in South America, Humboldt and Bonpland met José de la Cruz, probably the son of a Spaniard and a slave, in Cumaná.6 He accompanied the two throughout their entire journey as a servant.7 In the travel journal and in Humboldt’s letters, he is referred to several times as a servant, but also as a carrier.8 On the whole, Humboldt rarely mentions the indigenous inhabitants of the regions he travels to in the extensive publications on his journey to South America. For his European contemporaries and for posterity, an image of the Europeans Humboldt and Bonpland emerged, who entered deserted areas and explored nature there.9 The painting by Friedrich Georg Weitsch proves that this did not reflect the reality by any means. The display of José de la Cruz in the centre of the painting next to Humboldt even emphasises how much Humboldt was indeed dependent on the support of locals. The disregard for José de la Cruz in the title and in the reception of the picture, on the other hand, shows that this went unnoticed in Europe. | SUSANNE EVERS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTMyNjA1