User:Nfortune20/sandbox

Another famous work of art by Eckhout from his time in Brazil is the Mameluca Woman. This is a depiction of a woman in a flowing white dress balancing a basket of flowers in one hand. Her other hand is lifting her dress to reveal a small portion of her leg. She is believed to be a mix of European and the indigenous people of Brazil given by the title “Mameluca.” The sky behind her is painted overcast, like the other paintings he did in Brazil, which was an unusual choice for the time. This painting has many aspects that were characteristic of Eckhout's other paintings from his time in Brazil. The two guinea pigs at the woman's feet show his interest in the natural life of Brazil. In addition the flowers that she is carrying and the plant life around her were Eckhout's way of representing the fertility of Brazil and drawing attention to the successful production of crops there.