RIAN

Nair de Teffé was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1886 and as a baby she moved to Europe, where she remained until 1905. In France she was able to improve her artistic streak - she sang, played the piano, did theater and painted.

She was known for her caricatures, especially of politicians and artists. She signed Rian - Nair to the contrary. She was one of the first female caricaturists in the world!

On July 14, 1909, the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro opens to the public and, shortly after the inauguration, the French actress Réjane performs with her company in an extended series of presentations

In the following year, Rian inaugurated the “Galeria das Elegências” at Fon-Fon, where the society of the time paraded under her pen.

Rian's witty humor coined the expression “train of the husbands” and “club of the diaries” to refer to the husbands who descended and climbed the Petrópolis mountain range daily to “clock in” at the offices of the then Federal District.

Theater was also very present in the life of Nair, who created her own company, Troupe Rian. Coelho Neto wrote "Miss Love" especially for her to act.

Nair started exhibiting her designs in the shop windows of Rua do Ouvidor, considered the most elegant street in Rio de Janeiro of the time.

In 1912, the Jornal do Commercio organized an individual exhibition at its headquarters of 200 drawings by Nair de Teffé, the proceeds of which would be destined for the Children's Hospital.

Despite a heavy rainfall on the day of the opening, the President of the Republic Hermes da Fonseca attended the exhibition.

Nair's life would change dramatically in 1913, when she married the then President of the Republic, Marshal Hermes da Fonseca.

The age difference between the bride and groom and the marshal's recent widowhood caused this relationship to become a controversial event that was much talked about at the time.

Though Nair would occupy the position of first lady and the halls of Catete for less than a year, it was enough time for her to leave her indelible mark on history.

Of the various events and soirees that marked her time at the Palace, the most emblematic would undoubtedly be the farewell party of the presidency on October 26, 1914.

The noble halls of the Palácio do Catete were occupied by the sound of the maxixe "Corta-jaca" by Chiquinha Gonzaga, performed on the guitar by Catulo da Paixão Cearense.

At that time women did not discuss politics, so it was the brushes that gave the floor to the First Lady. From this period, there are many caricatures of politicians who frequented the Palácio do Catete. Nair responds to Rui Barbosa's criticisms with special sagacity: she draws the senator in a playful manner, carrying a top hat in his hands like a beggar.

After the presidential term, the couple move to Petrópolis where, in 1915, Nair would suffer a buggy accident that left her with serious injuries. As a result, they move to Europe the following year in search of appropriate medical treatment and only return to Brazil in 1920.

“The sadness that overwhelmed me with the disease was heightened by the pain of seeing my delicate companion, friend and husband having suffered so many unfair campaigns, led to ridicule by the simple fact that in the intimacy of Catete Palace, one day, I had played the famous Corta-Jaca of the distinguished pianist/composer Chiquinha Gonzaga. I never thought that that meeting, which opened the halls of society to Brazilian popular music, at the time would be so criticized in a derogatory way. Today, thanks to Chiquinha Gonzaga and Corta-Jaca, samba, serestas and maxixe, it's glory, it's glory… it's a luxury… ”

(FONSECA, Nair de Teffé. The truth about the 22 revolution. Rio de Janeiro: Portinho Cavalcanti, 1974, p.71)

'In England, in 1400: war of the two roses; in Brazil, in 1921: war of the two carnations (red carnation and white carnation).' That joke earned me the gift of a gold and a silver carnation, carved at the jewelry store Rezende, which were delivered to me in a rich case of garnet with the inscription: 'Rian, first among equals', offered by the Engineering Club.”

(FONSECA, Nair de Teffé. The truth about the 22 revolution. Rio de Janeiro: Portinho Cavalcanti, 1974, p.16)

In the midst of the crisis of presidential succession of 1922 and the Revolt of the 18 of the Fort of Copacabana enacted by the “Lieutenant’s Movement”, Hermes da Fonseca would be arrested and would only be released in January of 1923. The marshal would pass away in September of the same year, leaving young Nair a widow.

Nair isolated herself after the death of Hermes da Fonseca, but in 1929 she resumed public life. From 1928 to 1932 she chaired the Associação de Ciências e Letras de Petrópolis, which was transformed by her into the Academia Petropolitana de Letras. In 1929 she entered the Academia Fluminense de Letras and participated in the First Salão Fluminense de Belas Artes.

With the death of her parents in the 1930s, Nair leaves Petrópolis and returns to Rio de Janeiro.

In 1932, she builds the Rian, which would be one of the most beautiful cinemas in the city, all in art deco and facing the Copacabana sea. However, Nair finds it difficult to manage it and, as of 1946, the Rian's management passes to Luiz Severiano Ribeiro.

Nair de Teffé lost the inheritance she received from her parents because, as an artist, she had no administrative sensibilities.

With few resources, living on Marshal Hermes' modest pension, she moved to Niterói with her three adopted children.

She remained isolated and forgotten until, in the 50s, Herman Lima sought her out and invited her to redo some caricatures that had deteriorated over time.

From this episode, the artist who was asleep awakens and Nair produces caricatures of politicians and artists of this period.

For this reason, we have caricatures of Juscelino Kubitschek, Fidel Castro, Carlos Lacerda, Café Filho, Castelo Branco, etc.

We believe that the caricatures of this period - the remakes and those of the politicians of that time - are precisely those that are part of the collection of the National Historical Museum, since they were donated by her in 1964.

In the 60s and 70s, Nair de Teffé received several honors from civil society: in 1960 the Humorists' Hall opened with a conference at MNBA (National Museum of Fine Arts). In 1961, Revista do Livro published a reprint by Herman Lima on Nair de Teffé.

In 1967 she participates in a program on TV Tupi, in which she does a live caricature. In 1969, the Museum of Image and Sound - MIS - records her testimony for posterity.

In 1970 Nair is invited to preside over a ceremony at the Catete Palace when the Museum of the Republic receives a collection of presidential medals. In 1979, the Cultural Activities Foundation of Niterói honors her with an exhibition, autograph night, and documentary.

Still in 1979, she is honored by the Mackenzie Humor and Comics Salon, in São Paulo, and the carnival group “Canarinhos de Laranjeiras” parades with the theme “The Grace of Rian in the Old Republic”.

Nair never forgot Marshal Hermes da Fonseca, her great love. She always considered him wronged by his political peers.

In 1974, at the age of 88, she launched the book "The Truth about the Revolution of 22", an apology to the Marshal, in which she reports her life trajectory alongside Hermes da Fonseca and the political events of 1922.

Ubirajara Ribeiro in 1977 draws the portrait of Nair de Teffé with watercolor, gouache and pen and offers it to the caricaturist.

"If you come to cry with pretense
Next to my grave,
of my musty coffin,
I make your caricature"

(Verses of Nair recited in an interview with Revista Domingo, of Jornal do Brasil, on 9/11/1977)