3. The Hegemony of French Geography in Brazil

This chapter focuses its discussion on the construction of the hegemony of French geography in Brazil and the importance attached to the performance of Pierre Monbeig. It reveals that a consultation carried out with three different authors, one French and two Brazilians, demonstrated a convergence of opinions, although each one emphasized different aspects. It considers the context of Brazil in the 1930s as being a moment with the lack of qualified personnel, meaning that the country had to open its doors to foreigners. Historically, travelers, naturalist, artists, and others would register their impressions concerning the reality of the areas that they visited, focusing on the aspects relating to scenery, characteristic types, spatial arrangement, types of construction, etc. These texts become a priceless documentation for the recovery of the Brazilian spatial dynamic in its beginnings.