The book flourishes with poignant watercolor illustrations of Rio's culturally diverse society and the firsthand realities of slavery, Africans, and indigenous peoples under portuguese rule.

Debret's picturesque collection of images are accompanied by the texts and essays of historians Luiz Felipe de Alencastro and Serge Gruzinski, as well as novelist Tierno Monenenembo, whom all provide a considerable amount of exploratory prose.

Rich in both texture and content, Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Mestiça, is a noteworthy piece of artwork and interpretation of Brazilian history and it is available in most bookstores, online via Livraria da Travessa and Livraria Cultura, or directly from the publisher here.