Palácio do Catete: place of memories and forgetfulness
Elaborated from the educational actions carried out at the Museum of the Republic, with students from public schools in Rio de Janeiro
Palácio visto do jardim (1858/1868)Museu da República
The three times of the Palace: ruptures and continuities
Manor house, seat of the Presidency and Museum, the Palace is an important testimony of the values and ways of life of the imperial elite and of the Republic project instituted in these lands, at the end of the 19th century.
The construction of the "Palacete do Largo do Valdetaro" was the dream come true of a Portuguese immigrant, who was born poor and became rich thanks, among other undertakings, to the slave trade.
Before becoming the seat of the presidency, it underwent a year of renovations. Of the interventions, the inclusion of dates that mark institutional changes that, however, did not bring significant improvements for most of the population stands out. According to journalist Aristides Lobo, witness of the Proclamation of the Republic, “The people watched that bestialized, astonished, surprised, without knowing what it meant. Many sincerely believed they were seeing a parade.”
Getúlio Vargas' roomMuseu da República
The room where Getúlio Vargas died, a testament to the republican times represented inside the palace, became, over time, one of the most emblematic institutional spaces of political memory in the country.
The china cabinet is part of the original furniture. Inside, we have crystals used in official receptions of the presidency. On the side shelves and sideboard, a flowerpot from the Ernesto Geisel Collection and candlesticks from the Eurico Gaspar Dutra Collection.
"Baron and Baroness of Nova Friburgo". "Baron and Baroness of Nova Friburgo". (1867) by Emil BauchMuseu da República
Housing, city and power
But, after all, where did so much wealth come from? Painted to order to decorate the new residence, this painting representing the Baron and Baroness of Nova Friburgo brings together part of the wealth accumulated by the family, without, however, clarifying all its origin.
Despite being represented as part of its heritage, the Estrada de Ferro Cantagalo was a concession from the Empire and its construction was also guaranteed through resources made available by the State.
Main staircaseMuseu da República
The presence of neoclassical elements reveals aspects of the life and mentality of segments of the Brazilian elite that, indifferent to the effervescence of the streets, turned their eyes to Europe, hoping to make the city a “tropical Paris”.
Symmetry is one of the characteristics of Neoclassical architecture. In the search for harmony, it was even worth including false doors, such as the one shown in the image, whose only function was to guarantee order in the space.
Chapel Safe CabinetMuseu da República
The similarity between this cabinet and sacred furniture reflects not only the strong presence of Christian symbols in the imagination of the elites, but also the existing relationships between religion, heritage and power in the Empire and the Republic.
The effort to impress resulted in a mixture of trends that did not always dialogue with each other. In the Pompeano salon, the option for a more archaeological and erudite style, with Enlightenment and Liberal inspiration, suggested a commitment to ideas for the renewal of society. In turn, the Mourisco salon represents, in its details, an imperfect copy created by a Europe that began to take an interest, in the second half of the 19th century, in African and Asian “exoticism”.
"Baron and Baroness of Nova Friburgo". "Baron and Baroness of Nova Friburgo". (1867) by Emil BauchMuseu da República
A place of memories and forgetfulness
The monumental dimensions of the Palace draw attention to the great contrast between the living conditions of the elite members and the rest of the population, which, for the most part, was crowded in scattered tenements in a permanently feverish city.
In a space where representations of the feminine are mostly mythological or allegorical, the baroness appears as a real character and, therefore, is an exception. What women of her time would achieve such prominence?
Venetian Hall (Yellow Hall)Museu da República
When looking at this chandelier, we are enchanted by the beauty of its details, but we don't always stop to remember those responsible for its installation, daily cleaning and maintenance.
Moorish HallMuseu da República
The ashtray is on one of the tables in the Mourisco salon, a space reserved for smoking and playing cards, habits that the elite restricted to the male universe. So what women couldn't smoke?
Fan of the Baroness of Nova FriburgoMuseu da República
Fans were used in flirting and non-verbal communication with potential suitors. Prohibited from expressing themselves freely, women learned from an early age that a good marriage guaranteed a good future - depending on the color of their skin.
Banquet Hall Dining tableMuseu da República
Offering banquets, marked by invoices and refined menus, was a way of asserting a superior social condition. However, whose work supported these dreams of grandeur?
For Gilberto Freire, the harmonic mixture of different knowledge and ingredients in the preparation of food would be a metaphor of our racial democracy, no matter who prepared it, who served it and who was given the right to sit at the table.
Chapel Chapel decorative detailsMuseu da República
Even conformed from different religiosities, we still live under representations of Catholicism forged when the official religion of Brazil Empire. How long will we insist on not seeing each other?
Museum of the Republic /IBRAM/Ministry of Culture
Direction - Mario Chagas
Technical Coordination - Lívia M. N. Gonçalves
Communication Sector - Henrique Milen
Exhibition
Pedagogical curation: Ana Paula Zaquieu
Texts: Ana Paula Vianna Zaquieu (coord.) and Letícia Bomfim (trainee)
Research: Ana Paula Vianna Zaquieu (coord.), Ana Clara Nava (CPII grantee), Carolina Bayma (CPII grantee), Isadora Araújo (intern), Letícia Bomfim (trainee ), Matheus Lopes (CPII grantee), Melinda Cariello (CPII grantee) and Pâmela Mendes (trainee).
Photography: Melinda Cariello
Editing: Paulo Celso Correa
Bibliography
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