MNBAMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
It tells the story of the construction of the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes building and how it appears today.
This story is made by artists and architects, and also by invisible workers.
See how much history this building has
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - detalhe by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The Museu Nacional de Belas Artes is located in the historic center of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Surrounding it are the Municipal Theater, the National Library, the City Hall and Praça Marechal Floriano, popularly called Cinelândia.
Praça Marechal Floriano, Cinelândia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (1938) by Mario TullioMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
In this watercolor from 1938, Mario Tullio portrayed Praça Marechal Floriano in watercolor. We can see the Municipal Theater, the monument to Marshal Floriano Peixoto, the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes and part of the National Library.
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See what this region is like today.
Construção do prédio [da Escola Nacional de Belas Artes] - Vista da fachada posterior - Rua México (1909) by Augusto César Malta de CamposMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The building was originally built to house the National School of Fine Arts, which operated in the building of the former Imperial Academy of Arts.The then director, Rodolfo Bernardelli, called for the construction of a new headquarters: the old building no longer met the needs.
Retrato do escultor Rodolfo Bernardelli, irmão do autor by Henrique BernardelliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Rodolfo Bernardelli (Guadalajara, Mexico 1852 - Rio de Janeiro RJ 1931), sculptor and teacher. He was the first director of the National School of Fine Arts between 1890 and 1915.
Estudo para "Panorama do Rio de Janeiro" : Morro de Santo Antônio e Largo do Rocio (atual Praça Tiradentes) (1885) by Vítor MeirelesMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
In this study for the "Panorama of Rio de Janeiro", by Vitor Meireles, circa 1885,
we can see Largo do Rocio (current Praça Tiradentes) and the former Imperial Academy of Fine Arts.
The Academy building was designed by architect Grandjean de Montigny.
Mercado da GlóriaMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Bernardelli considers the possibility of installing the School's facilities in Mercado da Glória, adapting its basic structure. The first studies for the project were written by Adolfo Morales de los Rios, who sought to summarize all of the director's wishes.
However, this was not approved, and so a new plant was created, with significant cuts, seeking to be as economical as possible. The reason is not known, but the work on the Glória building ended up not being completed.
Adolfo Morales de los RioMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Adolfo Morales de los Rios with the engineers and architects of the 1922 International Exhibition, in which he designed two works: the Monumental Port (which was never built) and the "Amusement Park" (demolished), for which he received the Medal of Gold.
Adolfo Morales de los Rios
(Seville, Spain 1858 - Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 1928)
He was an architect, urban planner, teacher and historian. He was an active participant in the modernization process of the capital, Rio de Janeiro.
Its buildings built on Avenida Central, such as the headquarters of the newspaper O Paiz (now demolished), the Assírio Restaurant at Theatro Municipal and the National School of Fine Arts (today the National Museum of Fine Arts), are inspired by European architectural standards, notably in Paris and London.
construção do novo prédio da EscolaMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
In 1905, the Avenida Central Construction Commission allocated a lot for the construction of the new School building.
construção da Av. CentralMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Why on Avenida Central?
The construction of Av. Central was part of the urban reform led by the then Mayor Francisco Pereira Passos (1836-1913), with the aim of making the federal capital modern, civilized and with European features, in keeping with the Belle Époque style.
Led by engineer Paulo de Frontin (1860-1933), the construction involved displacing many people, demolishing around 600 old buildings, removing rubble, installing a sewage system, water, lighting and electricity. Its opening took place on November 15, 1905.
construção da Av. CentralMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The new buildings on Av. Central, with an eclectic style, housed newspaper offices, clubs, hotels and companies.
The name of the Avenue was changed in 1912 to Rio Branco, in honor of Barão do Rio Branco (1845-1912), diplomat and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.
Fotografia do terreno na Avenida Central destinado a construção do novo prédio da Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (1900/1906) by Autor desconhecidoMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The National School of Fine Arts begins to be built
Part of Morro do Castelo, destroyed for the construction of the School.
Convite para a solenidade de lançamento da pedra fundamentalMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Invitation from the Minister of Justice and Home Affairs to the ceremony to launch the foundation stone of the building.
Lançamento da pedra fundamental da Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (1906) by Autor desconhecidoMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Foundation stone of the National School of Fine Arts
Foundation stone laying ceremony, with the presence of President Rodrigues Alves.
MNBAMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Augusto Malta (1864 - 1957) was one of the first photographers who captured the transformations that took place in Rio de Janeiro. He recorded events in the city, the daily lives of residents and the progress of works, including that of the Escola Nacional de Belas Arts.
MNBAMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Characteristics of the building
The building has architectural features of the French Renaissance such as the presence of Greek columns - Corinthian order and caryatids.
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The columns are of the Corinthian order, which has as one of its characteristics the capital decorated with leaves and flowers of acanthus (Acanthus) - a type of plant common in Greece.
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - Cariátides by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Caryatids are woman-shaped columns.
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - Cariátide by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - baixos-relevos em terracota by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The great civilizations - Persia, Egypt, Rome, Greece, India, Syrian China, America were exalted through terracotta bas-reliefs, along the entire front facade and part of the two sides.
The terracotta bas-reliefs were designed by the Pernambuco sculptor Honorio da Cunha e Mello (1879-1949). He graduated from the National School of Arts and was awarded a trip to Europe prize in 1908. As masters in his training, he had Zeferino da Costa and Rodolfo Bernardelli.
Also along the third floor balconies and part of the side facades, we have images of the teachers who were part of the French Artistic Mission, as well as the first teachers of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts.
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - medalhões de autoria de Henriqre Bernardelli by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The medallions on the main facade that can be found on the third floor balconies,
Autorretrato (1933) by Henrique BernardelliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
it's authorship is attributed to the painter Henrique Bernardelli (Chile, 1858 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1936).
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - medalhões de autoria de Henriqre Bernardelli by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
The painting technique used was fresco, which consists of painting on a mortar that is still damp, so that the pigment can be absorbed during the drying process, and a dry technique with the application of a layer of paint on the fresco to complete the work.
MNBAMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
On its side facades - Ruas Araújo Porto-Alegre and Heitor de Mello, the building has characteristics of the Italian Renaissance such as symmetry, the presence of Greek columns and figures representing teachers, scientists, artists and art critics from universal history.
Piso by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Os mosaicos em pastilhas de vidro - total de 18, foram executados por Felix Gaudin (1851-1930), segundo desenho de Raphael Freida (1877-1942).
MNBAMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
On the rear facade there are four low reliefs, executed by Spruce (1849-1923) depicting the daily life of civilizations in Ancient Egypt and Greece, allegories of the arts and various artistic activities.
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Fachada do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - portão alemão em bronze by Jaime AcioliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Now that you know the outside of the museum, we invite you to visit the second part of this exhibition, about aspects of the building's interior.
Museu Nacional de Belas Artes: a edificação e algumas de suas histórias
Concepção, pesquisa e realização:
Rafael Rodrigues Felix
Rossano Antenuzzi
Simone Bibian
MUSEU NACIONAL DE BELAS ARTES. Assessoria de Imprensa. 80 anos do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes RJ. 2018. Disponível em: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0OY_MXhQ8Q. Acesso em: 27 dez. 2023.
Idealizada especialmente para o Google Arts & Culture, 2023.
Referências:
LONG, Larissa. Identificação e Diagnóstico dos bens artísticos integrados às fachadas do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes. Mestrado Profissional em Preservação do Patrimônio Cultural. Ministério do Turismo- IPHAN. 79 páginas. 2021.
MUSEU NACIONAL DE BELAS ARTES. Boletim do Museu Nacional de Belas Artes. Rio de Janeiro: MNBA, 1983/1984
MUSEU NACIONAL DE BELAS ARTES. Plano Museológico 2021-2025.
