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MuseuHist¢ricoNacional∏PatKilgore2020
MuseuHist¢ricoNacional∏PatKilgore2020
MuseuHist¢ricoNacional∏PatKilgore2020

INCENSE

History: cannon 44 - SIGA nº 015492

  This 12-ton howitzer, cast in Paraguay, was captured by Brazilian troops during the Paraguayan War, South America’s biggest armed conflict. The battles lasted six years (1865-1870) and left 300,000 dead. Because bronze from the church bells in the Paraguayan capital was used in the cannon’s composition, it was named El Cristiano, the Christian. The inscription "From Religion to the State" confirms that it was made of melted church bells for the sake of the country's defense.

 

  He is emblematic in Paraguay for having been taken to the battle of Curupati (1866), the country's biggest victory against the Triple Alliance, formed by Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. According to Paraguayan reports, the Christian was instrumental in constraining the advance of enemy troops. According to Brazilian reports, however, the cannon never produced any casualties because  peculiarities of its internal functioning prevented its success.

 

  Throughout history, a country’s politics and religion alternate between coming together and distancing themselves. Brazil today, for example, is constitutionally a secular country; that is, it is officially impartial in religious matters. Contrary to this principle, enshrined in the Federal Constitution of 1988, the current Minister of Women, Family and Human Rights declared in an interview in February 2020: "It is time for the church to occupy the nation."
Such a comment causes us to reflect on our representatives, who may sometimes choose to favor policies linked to their personal religious doctrine rather than the democratic principles of the nation as a whole.

smell Incense PBX00014NK
 

  The large bell attached to the mouth of the cannon may evoke church bells  visited in childhood. The smell of incense of blessings. Myrrh and olibanum are components used in the incense of Christian churches. However, in the creation of this version of Incense, we added poponax and palo santo of Peruvian origin to the balsamic notes of myrrh and olibanum, introducing greener notes — light, fresh and aromatic notes, reminiscent of the forests that contain these resins. Nevertheless, myrrh, a more robust component, predominates, since the others, due to their volatility, dissipate more readily.

 

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