The Museum and the City on Rails
Marking the 10th anniversary of the light rail system’s launch—a mode of transportation that has shortened travel times and transformed the landscape of downtown Rio de Janeiro
Museu Nacional de Belas Artes
We invite you to embark on a journey through this public transportation system and explore places that are part of the city's historical and cultural memory.
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Fueled by the announcement that Rio de Janeiro would host the 2016 Olympics, construction of the light rail system began in 2014, involving the partial or even total removal of vehicles in various sections of the city center, such as Avenida Rio Branco.
One of the city's most important thoroughfares, Avenida Rio Branco was built in the early 20th century by Mayor Pereira Passos. Fueled by the modernization of what was then the federal capital, it was inspired by the urban planning model of 19th-century Paris. In addition to serving as a thoroughfare for pedestrians and various vehicles, it has hosted and continues to witness numerous historical and cultural events throughout its existence.
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Baron of Mauá by Rodolfo BernardelliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
An emblematic figure in the Brazilian economy, Irineu Evangelista de Souza (1831-1889), from Rio Grande do Sul, known as Baron of Mauá, was one of the most important industrialists and bankers in our country.
Estudo para o monumento ao Barão de Mauá by Rodolfo BernardelliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
A man of advanced ideas for his time, he left as a legacy, among many others, the first Brazilian railway, the Mauá railroad, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
The cornerstone of the monument was laid in 1904 and its inauguration took place on May 1, 1910.
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Born in Minas Gerais, Mestre Valentim, a Black man and one of the greatest exponents of the Baroque style, erected this granite structure in a strategically located spot near the Port Wharf, fostering the emergence of an area of strong commercial activity and a privileged meeting point for the city's inhabitants and visitors.
Recorded by numerous artists over the years, the fountain has been immortalized in at least two engravings in the Museum's extensive collection.
Chafariz do Mestre Valentim - Praça Quinze - Rio de Janeiro (1981) by Thereza MirandaMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
In this photogravure, Thereza Miranda transforms her own photographs into metal engravings featuring images of Brazilian architecture and landscapes.
Tomando a fresca depois do jantar na Praça do Paço by Glauco RodriguesMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Another artist to focus on the iconic Chafariz do Mestre Valentim was Glauco Rodrigues from Rio Grande do Sul, who produced an engraving with vibrant colors and a more relaxed approach, reflecting the brilliance of an author passionate about Rio de Janeiro, as he always confessed.
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Praça da República - Rio de Janeiro (1951) by José Silveira D'ÁvilaMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
For this pleasant corner, surrounded by historic buildings, and which offers thermal comfort that seems to counteract the accelerated pace of the metropolis, was represented with serenity, naturalness, poetry and spirituality in the engraving by the artist from Santa Catarina, José Silveira D’Ávila.
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Rodolfo Bernardelli junto com Henrique Bernardelli e amigos em seu ateliê vendo a escultura "Alegoria" para o edifício do jornal "O País" (1900/1914) by Autor desconhecidoMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Rodolfo Bernardelli, along with Henrique Bernardelli and friends, in his studio viewing the sculpture "Allegory" for the building of the newspaper "O País". This building was designed by the architect Morales de Los Rios, the same architect who designed the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Estudo para fachada do edifício do jornal "O País" (1905) by Rodolfo BernardelliMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
In its collection, the MNBA houses the Studies for the façade of the "O País" newspaper building, a work by Rodolfo Bernardelli, who, being known for his exquisite drawing, "greatly contributed to raising the quality of sculptural work produced here."
From newspaper headlines to popular imagination. From the early decades of the 20th century to the present day, Avenida Rio Branco has maintained a long relationship with Carnival. Having been the stage for samba school parades in the 1950s and 1960s, it continues to celebrate the reign of King Momo even today, with its street bands, its joy, and the procession of thousands of revelers.
Projeto de ornamentação [para o] Carnaval de 1954 - Av. Rio Branco - visão dos arcos (1954) by Thomas Santa RosaMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
And leading the way is artist and choreographer Tomás Santa Rosa,
whose talent produced several designs for ornamentation projects for the 1954 carnival.
Estudo decorativo para estandarte do bloco carnavalesco "Tenentes do Diabo" by Rodolfo AmoedoMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Without letting the rhythm falter, the popular energy of Carnival is an incessant source of inspiration for art. And way back then, the festival also caught the eye of Rodolfo Amoedo (1857-1941).
From his exquisite brushstrokes emerged a depiction of one of the most traditional carnival societies, a recurring presence in the parades on Rio Branco Avenue: Tenentes do Diabo, founded in the 19th century, which paraded until the mid-1960s.
Keeping our eyes on the carnival festivities but focusing on a different technique, let's observe the carnival through the lens of cameras. Like the unique photographic records of Jacques Faing, belonging to the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts.
"Dourado sobre branco", da Série GIRACORPOGIRA nº 1 (2003) by Jaques FaingMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
See, for example, the records of the unforgettable Bahian women, charismatic figures from the samba schools who embody the tradition of spiritual, matriarchal, and religious strength, renewed over many years of parades on the illuminated stage of Avenida Rio Branco.
Other emblematic figures that emerge in the Carnival celebrations on the Avenue are the members of the drum sections. Setting the rhythm, the vibe, the cadence, they fuel the magic of the parade of samba groups and schools, and were also immortalized by the lens of photographer Jacques Faing.
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Along this route, the train passes by forgotten spots, such as the Statue of Friendship. This monument honors the ties between Brazil and the United States—which, as we know, are currently strained.
Estátua da Amizade - Rio de Janeiro (1951) by José Silveira D’AvilaMuseu Nacional de Belas Artes
Located opposite Flamengo Park, near Avenida Beira-Mar, the work was represented in the engraving "Statue of Friendship" (1951), part of the museum's collection.
Using the lines of a public and sustainable collective transport system, we trace the route "The Museum and the City (on rails)", opening observation screens both to the City Center and its surroundings, as well as to the robust collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts.
In this brief tour you took with us, we discovered (or rediscovered) places full of historical, cultural, emotional, and visual memories, in a dialogue between public monuments and part of the collection of the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Until next time.
The Museum and the City on Rails
Curated by: Nelson Moreira Junior
Created especially for Google Arts & Culture, 2026.
Audios: Nelson Moreira Junior
Sources:
Chafariz do Mestre Valentim. [2026].Available at: https://riomemorias.com.br/memoria/chafariz-do-mestre-valentim.
Campo de Santana. [2026].Available at: https://riomemorias.com.br/memoria/campo-de-santana.
Homage to José Silveira D´Ávila. Presentation by Alcidio Mafra de Souza, Georges Racz, Alberto Zaluar. Florianópolis: Santa Catarina Art Museum, 1989.
Rodolfo Bernardelli: 1852-1931. Text by Mariza Guimarães Dias. Rio de Janeiro: National Museum of Fine Arts, 2008.
Av. Rio Branco: the history of the avenue that transformed downtown Rio - Special Report 139. RJ: Rio TV Câmara, March 4, 2026. Available at: https://youtu.be/3zW5c09s5Gg?si=NmdWUN1h7IdBhovR.
VACCANI, Celita. Rodolpho Bernardelli: artistic life and characteristics of his sculptural work. National School of Fine Arts. Rio de Janeiro, 1949.
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