Almeida Júnior: o sol no meio do caminho

Focusing the painting "Caipira picando fumo", this article analyses the work of the Brazilian painter Almeida Junior (1850-1899). The author discusses the way the artist used to depict the social environment, nature, human types and regional particularities. Further on, he puts into question the idea of nationality in Junior's work, which is best understood if seen against the framework of theories such as the naturalist determinism.