A great small museum

Guilherme de Almeida (1890-1969), poet, linguist, journalist, translator, film critic and lawyer was a main figure on the cultural life of Brazil during his life and is recognized as one of the intellectual founders of the Brazilian modernist movement. Guilherme's literary debut came in 1916 with Mon Coeur Balance and Leur Âme, two theater plays written in collaboration with Oswald de Andrade. His first poetry book, Nós, was published in 1917. In 1922 he played a major role in the Modern Art Week in Sao Paulo, and helped founding the Klaxon magazine (the movement's main publication) as part of the editorial team.

The collection on exhibition at the Casa Guilherme de Almeida contains many works of art (engravings, sketches, sculptures and paintings) bestowed on the poet by artists such as Anita Malfatti, Tarsila do Amaral, Emiliano di Cavalcanti, Lasar Segall and Victor Brecheret; all of whom contributed greatly to the Brazilian modernist movement.

The museum includes the writer's extensive and diversified library, a collection of newspaper and magazines, photographic archives as well as the set of rare furniture and ornaments carefully selected and acquired by Guilherme and his wife, Baby de Almeida, throughout their lives.

The townhouse of approximately 240 m², situated at Macapá street, in Perdizes neighborhood, was designed by architect Silvio Jaguaribe Ekman in 1944 and its construction was completed in 1946, the same year that the couple Guilherme and Baby went to inhabit it.

“Steep, narrow, dark and curved is the staircase that goes up to my mansard. Capable of taking the breath away of old folks, never, though, has it threatened my battered heart. On the contrary, it leads me lightly, as if I’m winged, like the angels on Jacob’s ladder”. Guilherme de Almeida

Guilherme de Almeida’s many fields of work define the activities which are conducted here at the museum.

Due to this poet’s importance as a translator, the Casa Guilherme de Almeida museum associates to its educational and museological activities the role of a Study Center for Literary Translation. This allows a broader public to acknowledge the specificity of literary and poetic translation. The Study Center promotes literary translation through teaching, research, editorial publishing and special events.

“Cinematographos” is the original name for the column Guilherme de Almeida wrote, daily, on O Estado de S. Paulo, one of Brazil’s biggest newspapers. This column went on from the 20’s to the 40’s and establishes Guilherme as a pioneer on film critic in our country. During 16 years he wrote over a thousand movie critics about many themes. With an intense and diverse program the Cinematographos Screening Room is here to revisit this activity from Guilherme, proposing debates, diffusion and reflections about movies and their many aspects.

Casa Guilherme de Almeida and its Annex promote an intense program in the areas of education and dissemination of culture, some of our highlights are: - Peripatéticos meetings: inspired by the Aristotelian concept of "learning while strolling" - Bloomsday: traditional literary festival in honor of the work of Irish writer James Joyce. - Guilherme de Almeida Week: In July, the month of birth and death of the poet, the museum hosts a week of events focused on his literary work. - Research and Analysis Group of Guilherme’s works. - Book Restoration Workshop.

Museum: 187 Macapá Street – Pacaembu | São Paulo | Brazil Phone: (11) 3673-1883 / 3672-1391

Annexe: 1943 Cardoso de Almeida Street – Pacaembu | São Paulo | Brazil