Hunting the Braganza Diamond: Semiosis conveyed by splendor and secrecy

José Casquilho

doi:10.53930/27892182.dialogos.8.139

Autores

José Casquilho Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e (Timor-Leste) https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6916-4124

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53930/27892182.dialogos.8.139

Palavras-chave:

Diamante Bragança, Ludibrium, Esplendor, Segredo, Fetiche

Resumo

O diamante Bragança – também designado como o Grande Diamante de Portugal – é considerado um mistério, embora pareça mais correto dizer que constitui um segredo. Numa estratégia aqui designada de ludibrium, ou um tipo de jogo de dissimulação, verifica-se que desde as primeiras notícias – relativas à sua descoberta em 1741 no Brasil e entrega ao rei D. João V de Portugal no ano seguinte – a pedra foi sucessivamente mencionada como sendo uma safira branca, um topázio branco e mais recentemente uma água marinha, quando na verdade era um diamante amarelo-escuro de formato oblongo e cerca de 1680 carates de peso com uma marca específica. Sendo o maior diamante conhecido no mundo até à descoberta do Cullinan em 1905, constituía um objeto de desejo face à ganância lupina de outras potências europeias. Assim, a sua existência expressa-se na tensão entre a exposição, enquanto adorno real de inegável valor estético e simbólico, e a omissão dos registos e inventários das jóias da coroa. No entanto, há evidência icónica indelével de que a pedra foi exibida pelo Príncipe do Brasil D. José e depois pela rainha Maria II de Portugal e, dissimuladamente, também pelo rei João VI. Também existem notícias explícitas de que o diamante foi empenhado pelo rei Carlos I no início do século XX, presumivelmente com um contrato de longo prazo. Sobre o seu eventual destino esboça-se uma hipótese plausível, ancorada na compatibilidade de traços físicos e numa injunção fetichista.

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Biografia Autor

José Casquilho, Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e (Timor-Leste)

Doutorado em Engenharia Florestal/Matemática Aplicada pelo Instituto Superior de Agronomia (Lisboa, Portugal). Professor no Programa de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa da Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e.

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