During the 19th century, French artist Auguste Morisot (1857–1951) embarked on a journey as part of the 1886 expedition led by anthropologist and explorer Jean Chaffanjon, aiming to discover the source of the Orinoco River. Although the expedition did not achieve this specific goal, its scientific accomplishments were significant and even helped inspire Jules Verne’s novel "The Mighty Orinoco".

Morisot, throughout the eight-month expedition, maintained a meticulous diary and produced a substantial number of pictorial works that vividly depicted the social and ecological realities of the regions they traversed, particularly the Guayana and Amazonas areas. His works showcased the biological and ecological diversity of these regions, as well as the customs, ethnicities, human settlements, and economic activities of their inhabitants.

Morisot's travel journal, first published in 2002 by the Fundación Cisneros and now accessible as a PDF, reveals his exceptional observational skills. He offers a tangible sense of the explorers' often oppressive experiences and the challenging conditions they endured. His artworks and writings provide a unique and detailed account of this significant expedition, enriching our understanding of the region's cultural and natural history during that era.

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Video:
In under three minutes, Rafael Romero outlines the lengthy 1886 voyage along the Orinoco River undertaken by explorer Jean Chaffanjon and artist Auguste Morisot. Morisot’s documentary sketches and photos create a retrospective travelogue.