In 1879, his gigantic painting of the Second Battle of Guararapes was displayed at the Imperial Academy, alongside a painting by Pedro Américo, depicting the Battle of Avay. Meirelles and Américo had already been at odds with one another over an earlier commission so, immediately, critics began to notice similar details and accuse Meirelles of plagiarism. The controversy raged in the local press for months but, apparently, no conclusions were ever reached.