Fotografías de la Guerra del Pacífico: Representaciones de gloria, sacrificio y derrota (1879-1883)

This article explores symbolic representations in photographs of the War of the Pacific (1879-1884) from a sociocultural perspective. Through a comparative analysis of 12 images taken by Eduardo Spencer and Eugène Courret, it examines how Chile and Peru used photography to document and construct narratives about the conflict. Using Felix del Valle's methodological approach, which considers the epistemic, symbolic and aesthetic dimensions of the images, the article offers an in-depth view of how these photographs have influenced the historical perception of the conflict. The Chilean photographs present a victorious army, emphasizing its cohesion and superiority, while the Peruvian photographs highlight the suffering and devastation caused by the enemy. By situating photography as a key source, this research provides a new perspective on the War of the Pacific, highlighting the crucial role of images in the construction of historical memory and national narratives in Chile and Peru.