“The Power of Frames: The Temporality of Photography and Portraiture in the Work of Eça de Queirós

Abstract

This article discusses the inclusion of paintings and photographs in three novels by Eça de Queirós, namely O primo Basílio, Os Maias and A tragédia da Rua das Flores, as narrative snapshots that immortalize key moments in the literary texts. Inspired by the cinematic “framing” of Abbas Kiarostami’s last film 24 Frames, my discussion focuses on how the image contained in the painted portraits or photographs have meaning beyond what they portray, and how the respective narratives enable a reconstruction of what led up to and follows the creation of the framed image.