Visual Arguments and Entangled Ethnographies in the Boxer Codex

This article examines the Boxer Codex (BC, ca. 1590), which is a manuscript that contains illustrations and narratives describing ethnic groups of western Pacific islands continental Southeast East Asia. The codex in relation to early modern costume books by examining role images played creation ethnographical knowledge. Divided into four parts, first second sections examine opening foldout drawing account codex, both deal with native people Ladrones Islands. third part put dialogue other Iberian manuscripts it focuses on cases incorporate made artists. last section analyses how depicts costumes body ornaments fabricate gender distinctions. After analyzing relationship established between words, I argue visual depictions arguments enabled author make visible differences.