Guilherme de Almeida's 1928 Chronicles Reveal São Paulo's Monumental Mysteries and Modernist Tensions
A study focusing on Victor Brecheret's Monumento às Bandeiras, which was unveiled in 1953 at São Paulo's Parque Ibirapuera, uncovered notable chronicles from 1928 by poet Guilherme de Almeida. In "Urbano," published in Diário Nacional, Almeida conveyed his bewilderment regarding enigmatic bronze fragments found in Parque D. Pedro II, discussing public theories about a concealed pedestal and detached elements, such as a classical Vestal and a sizeable bronze goat. More than a month later, he recognized the piece as a donation from the Syrian-Lebanese community, crafted by Ettore Ximenes. Almeida assessed São Paulo's public sculptures, labeling them as either "good" or "embarrassing." This research, conducted by a scholar and students, emphasizes the chronicles' significance in the context of São Paulo modernism. Currently, the Monumento à Amizade Sírio-libanesa is in a state of neglect.
Key facts
- Guilherme de Almeida published chronicles in 1928 under the pseudonym 'Urbano' for Diário Nacional.
- He described mysterious bronze fragments in Parque D. Pedro II, including a Vestal, a toothed wheel, an Assyrian king, an Indian, and a bronze goat.
- The fragments formed the Monumento à Amizade Sírio-libanesa by Italian sculptor Ettore Ximenes.
- Almeida categorized São Paulo's post-1922 monuments as 'good' for display or 'embarrassing' to be hidden.
- The research studies Victor Brecheret's Monumento às Bandeiras, installed at Parque Ibirapuera in 1953.
- The study involves researcher Thiago Virava and students Eliane Pinheiro and Kelly Oliveira.
- It examines the 'Lado B' of São Paulo modernism, including figures like Menotti Del Picchia and Plínio Salgado.
- The Monumento à Amizade Sírio-libanesa is now described as a neglected public restroom.
Entities
Artists
- Guilherme de Almeida
- Victor Brecheret
- Ettore Ximenes
- Menotti Del Picchia
- Plínio Salgado
- Mário de Andrade
- Oswaldo
- Thiago Virava
- Eliane Pinheiro
- Kelly Oliveira
Institutions
- Diário Nacional
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Artes Visuais da ECA USP
Locations
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Parque Ibirapuera
- Parque D. Pedro II