Pioneers of Brazilian Design CUNHA LIMA, Guilherme / PhD / Rio de Janeiro State University, School of Industrial Design / Brazil

The design is a field of knowledge, and as such, exists even before velopment, things got clearer. He proposes the use of two forms of the profession itself. It begins when man realizes that, by creating understanding and action: instruments, he was increasing his ability to interact with the envi- 1. Accelerated evolutionary “development processes of ronment. By creating drawings he was tempting to communicate companies that renew their productive system autonomously with their peers. But the profession of designer is a result of the and reform its institutions towards a transition to another type of organization of the workforce. It is the result of the great expertise socio-cultural training, as people who are there for themselves.” 2. Historical Update “ a crucial feature of this process is his sense that came in the wake of the needs caused by the complexity of of reflexive modernization with loss of autonomy.” major social changes promoted by the Industrial Revolution. The first option is the one that confronts us as the most positive, In 1996, we begun a research, supported by the National Counsel since it proposes a movement of independent renewal. And Darcy of Technological and Scientific Development- CNPq, about the life Ribeiro explains: and work of Brazilian designers who pioneered the modern Brazil- Evolutionary Acceleration “to indicate the procedures used ian design. In order to understand the process we decided to di- direct, intentional or not, to induct progress with the preservation vide History in periods. We started with three periods, and recently of the autonomy of society who experiences it [...] is the case in had to add another one, so we came to a division of the history of societies experiencing a technological revolution based on their own creativity, or the full adoption of technological innovations and Brazilian design in four distinct and consecutive periods: local government achieved by other companies, or, based on both sources. “ 1. Forerunners 2. Pioneers The second option is our old acquaintance. Darcy Ribeiro leaves no 3. Contemporaries doubt as to the effects of it: 4. Digital Historical Update “In many cases, these effects produce profound changes in their progressive way of life, but inevitably lead to the The first period includes the Colony, the Empire and early Repub- establishment relationships of dependency between principal lic. The second one starts in 1922 and ends with the graduation of society and peripheral society, subject to reflex action.” the first class of students of ESDI, the first design school in South America. The third period ends in the late twentieth century. And He quotes as an example the expansion of technology of durable the fourth one begins in 2000. The Brazilian designers, in general, goods during Industrial Revolution, as the railroads and port facili- tended to disregard their historic past. Although this trend is not ties, which modernized the peripheral countries in order to make exclusive to our field, it has been difficult for us, designers, to then more efficient as producers of raw materials and certain recognize our activity in the past, and in consequence we do not items, but always importers of industrial goods. place ourselves in that same past. On the other hand, the archi- tects have not the slightest doubt that the pyramids, palaces and If we decide for the acceleration of our development, rejecting the popular houses of ancient Egypt are architecture. But it is difficult simple update, we must prepare ourselves for it. In terms of socie- for designers to see that the utensils, instruments and furniture ty as a whole, the problem is a political / economical where design that were inside those buildings, are the result of design. Likewise, should be inserted in a comprehensive manner. In terms of design writing with its supports and tools is not viewed as a solution aris- as a specific field, our trump card is education and especially -re ing from design. This way of thinking has been changing in recent search, because only from that joint action can create stand-alone years, due largely to post-graduate courses that have been estab- solutions to our realities. lished across the country. Another criticism to be made is the fact that we give too much prestige to a rational design. This ruled out Therefore it is imperative for us to know our past. The central coun- the Latin, African and Indigenous contributions. tries know the importance of having this knowledge, and invest heavily in this way. For some years now, the English universities The fact is that we do not have yet a history of Brazilian Design are working firmly in a detailed survey of all knowledge stored by to give us support in our research. And so we have to work twice Great Brittany in the nineteenth century, charting the most impor- as hard, researching specific issues and our having to fit them in tant historical moment of British domination. This task of making historical contexts that are not ours. our past known is one of our greatest challenges. Our cultural maturity depends on this knowledge. Thus it is imperative that we A major problem is that we understand the crisis of development recognize the presence of design in our past. And it is also neces- in the Brazilian reality. Maybe, if we used the concepts proposed sary that we create our own parameters of analysis, for the under- by Darcy Ribeiro, one of our great anthropologists to define our de- standing of our own history. At this point I use again the example

CUNHA LIMA, Guilherme 2012. "Pioneers of Brazilian Design". In Farias, Priscila Lena; Calvera, Anna; Braga, Marcos da Costa & Schincariol, Zuleica (Eds.). Design frontiers: territories, concepts, technologies [=ICDHS 2012 - 8th Conference of the International Committee for Design History & Design Studies]. São Paulo: Blucher, 2012. ISBN 978-85-212-0692-7 DOI 10.5151/design-icdhs-002 CUNHA LIMA, Guilherme

Janeiro. In the following year he assumed the organization of the neiro on October 15, 1944. His godmother Baroness Guararema Bank’s Technical Library. In Rio, he has the opportunity to re- protected this son of farmers, since childhood. In Rio de Janeiro search the major libraries and archives. In 1973, he retired from he studied at the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios, a school of arts and the Bank of Brazil, and later in that year was named the director crafts, where he displayed a great interest in industrial arts. Af- of the Library Foundation of Casa de Rui Barbosa. At this point ter that, he attended the School of Fine Arts, becoming a painter. it’s almost done the first volume of his magnum opus Imagem e Letra (Image and Letter). But he does not have time to finish In 1893, Visconti won a scholarship from the Brazilian govern- the second volume because he died in 1975. The first volume Im- ment to study painting in Paris. It is curious, and from our point age has two editions, the first by Editora Melhoramentos, today of view a statement of his wishes, the fact that in 1895, after two almost impossible to obtain, and the second, a beautiful book years of study at the School of Fine Arts, he enrolled in the School published by EDUSP. Guérin to study Decorative Arts, until 1897, with Eugène Grasset, the great French designer of Art Nouveau. Italian by birth but Bra- Since the publication of this book, it has been consulted by al- zilian the upbringing and choice, Visconti, when student at the most all of those who wish to know the past of several printing school Guérin in 1896, designed the cover of the Revue du Brésil techniques, which will occur in the Brazilian reality. It is remark- , one of the first concrete manifestations of propaganda of Brazil able the extent of his study, locating the first experiments in abroad. The year 1900 gives us a good view of how Visconti got printing techniques with examples of Brazilian books and peri- along with his two interests. In this year, he is awarded a silver odicals across the country. These studies demonstrate a thor- medal by the paintings Gioventu and Oréadas, at the same time ough knowledge of historical sources, many of them first quoted received an Honourable Mention in the Section of Decorative Art in the context that is his specialty. For these reasons, thirty-five and Applied Arts, both in the International Exhibition of Paris. years later, it continues to be consulted by new researchers, Back in Brazil, after a period of eight years in Europe, finished keeping always something new to anyone who looks at his work. his scholarship from the Brazilian government, he held his first exhibition at the National School of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro, The second pioneer, in reality a forerunner, of whom I want to where he shows his work at Decorative Art Applies to Industry. speak today is Eliseu Visconti, well known as a painter and little These are projects of lighting fixtures, iron objects, grids, ceram- known as a designer. In 2000, when the Seminary Brazil / Italy, ics, stained glass, textile design, wallpaper, book covers, maga- UERJ, promoted an exhibition entitled Eliseu Visconti, designer, zines and posters. He won a commission to decorate the then our intention was to replace the subject under discussion and new Teatro Municipal reason why he moved to Paris between try to show that this activity developed by him had the character 1905 and 1907. In 1914 and 1915, he returned to Paris in his stu- of design, in parallel to his activities as artist. Even though per- dio on the Street Didot, to design and implement the decoration haps they would not be the terms in which Visconti define him- of the foyer of the same Theatre. In 1934 he was commissioned self, what interested us was to show the result of his work in that to design and implement a new frieze for the proscenium of the particular field, together with the demonstration that he always Teatro Municipal, this time aided by his daughter Yvonne, and spent his time in this activity, with a constant dedication, even Agenor Cavalleiro Henrique de Barros. But despite the extensive an insistence, on always be investing time and though on this work he developed, he never felt truly satisfied. In 1926, in an sector. This exhibition was here in São Paulo, at the headquar- interview with O Jornal he complains, disappointed by the lack of ters of ADG (the Association of Graphic Designers), and Anhembi- encouragement for his activities in the applied arts: Morumbi University. When I returned from Europe, as a pensioner of the government, I held an exhibition of art applied to industry, with the intention of Today it is possible to speak of Visconti as a designer. There have the decorative art was the transforming element to characterize been many exhibitions and books published that showed his this sector in the country. They looked at it as a novelty and nothing more. production in the field of design. Right here in São Paulo, there was recently a major exhibition of his work, showing that aspect However, on the other hand, he had the opportunity to put into as well. But it was not always so, for years he was known only as practice his thoughts on the design. In 1934, the old Flexa Ribei- a great painter in Brazil. The first person to raise the question is ro, director of the Polytechnic School of Rio de Janeiro, invited the teacher and art critic Frederico Morais, in 1980 on Aspects him to head a university extension course of Decorative Art. of Brazilian Art: (There are two Flexa Ribeiro. The old one is the father, director of the Polytechnic School, and his son, of the same name, was We do not have in Brazil a critical study specialized in architecture, photography and industrial design. When it occurs, certainly Secretary of Education in the govern Carlos Lacerda, and took Visconti’s contribution as a pioneer of design will be highlighted. part in the creation of ESDI in 1962). Visconti has organized this course with a similar curriculum of School Guérin of Grasset. He Eliseu D’Angelo Visconti was born on July 30, 1866 in Giffoni adopted a criterion that distinguished the geometric part of the Valle Piana, province of Salerno, Italy, son of Gabriele D’Angelo inspiration naturalist. By his actions he became a pioneer of de- Visconti and Cristina. He was naturalized Brazilian in December sign education in our country. In 1936, Visconti completed the 15, 1889, by Decree 58 A of the Republic of the United States of work of the Teatro Municipal, also terminated its participation Brazil, the so-called “great naturalization.” He died in Rio de Ja- in the course of Decorative Art. He was then seventy years, and

Design Frontiers: Territiories, Concepts, Technologies 27 Pioneers of Brazilian Design

of the architects, who believe that architecture is built space, with concept of assembly line in Renaissance, used so effectively by or without their help. They study the ancient buildings not using Henry Ford in his factory in the early twentieth century. Print- to the methodology of archaeologists and engineers, but with ing spreads across Europe, and from that point to the rest of the the proper instruments designed by them for the study of archi- world. Its introduction in America occurs irregularly. In some cases tecture. The Brazilian architecture recognizes its history from the it comes with the conquerors, in other cases with the settlers, and colonial era. And the modern Brazilian architecture has developed in our case, only on the eve of Independence. But in anyway the from a thorough and extensive study of its colonial origins. The activity of Graphic Design is already centennial by the time of the mixture between knowledge of these origins and exogenous influ- Bauhaus in Germany. ences of European modernism has given rise to an autonomous architecture that contributes and has international recognition. I have chosen to speak today about two pioneers of Brazilian Design. When we ask the question: – When Design History starts? Soon it comes to our mind the image of the Bauhaus. This modern Let me start by Orlando Costa Ferreira. He is, without doubt, the movement advocated a rationalist approach to the design, in great forerunner of research for the formation of a History of Bra- antagonism to the excesses of the styles created by the Indus- zilian Design. For those who do not know heard of him yet, I will trial Revolution in the nineteenth century. The functionalist axiom talk about what I wrote when the first edition of my bookO Grafico Form follows function took the world, without taking into account Amador: the origins of modern Brazilian typography. I described the reality of the peripheral countries. We must remember that him as: librarian, essayist, professor and editor. At the time I was the Industrial Revolution had very different consequences for the young and a bit shy, perhaps, but should have added: designer, central countries, which made the revolution, and the peripheral which he so richly deserves. Behind the elusive label of editor he countries that suffered it.t While in Europe is being generated a always hided an intense activity in graphic design, creation and new technology, the periphery is being transformed into a cap- production of books and newspapers experimental culture. The tive market and producer of cheap raw materials. The clash with other labels of essayist and university professor conceal a brilliant functionalism will happen when, after the Second World War, our career as a researcher. The history of books and graphic produc- architecture begins to impose itself as a form of expression. And tion owes much to this man from Pernambuco who will later be if functionalism lost in this fight at the front part of the architec- installed in Rio de Janeiro. ture, was particularly happy in the design field, of dependency we stayed prevented from accepting our own way of being. This On August 15, 1915, in the Engenho Conceição, the city of Rio For- is not to say that functionalism is not a good idea, or that should moso, Pernambuco, Orlando da Costa Ferreira was born. He learns be avoided, but we mean that it is not the only valid solution to to read and write with his own family members. He studied infor- make design. We must not stay in a position of dogmatic accept- mally with private teachers in his primary school times. He was ance of exogenous ideas, however tempting they might be. With self-taught, without getting far from the books. As he gets older, the acceptance of these and other dogmas in the attempt to up- the age will only increase this passion. date ourselves historically in relation to the culture of the central countries, we give up a large slice of our history, an entire experi- In 1942, now residing in Recife, he won a competition for a place ence, the struggles of our ancestors, only to feel that we part of a in the prestigious the Bank of Brazil. In March 1945 he married D. continuous European history, moreover, a few decades late. Lize. He graduated in Librarianship in 1949. During his years Re- cife, along with Aloísio Magalhães, Gaston de Holanda, and José We could try to answer the question saying that the design begins Laurenio de Melo, founded the private press O Grafico Amador. Lau- when the first man conceives the first artefact. Most objects that renio wrote an introduction for the book I wrote about the private have survived are actually the result of an evolution of anony- press, giving us a vision of how they worked: mous design. And that is very well placed in the book Design: first These four characters decided at a time of tremendous existential define the problem, by Jens Bernsen: availability to be typographers and printers, crafting some little books in a precarious and improvised workshop [...] to the activity The carpenter’s hammer or the woodcutter’s axe of are optimal undertook I think you can apply the tenet of collective creation. solutions to a problem. Tools are perfectly balanced, functional Everyone did everything: text, graphic design, and composition, and visually. The raw material that was used are made in the best printing, finishing. shape and function as a natural extension of the skills of those who use them. And yet, designs are anonymous. They were adapted to its purpose through a process of gradual development, with After this experience he was named to head the Literary Supple- improvements being added over the generations, until these tools ment of the Jornal do Commercio of Recife. But even when in the acquire its final form. head of these projects, he always kept teaching at the university, and never deviated from his line of research, descriptive bibliogra- In relation to graphic design, without going into the dawn of hu- phy and history of the printing arts in Brazil, which led to his great manity, a basic framework is the invention of printing by Guten- interest in various types of printing processes, photo mechanical berg. This event is of great importance in the history of mankind matrices, typography, paper making and book binding. because, in addition to revolutionize the understanding among men, the production of the printed book, it also established the In 1964, the Bank of Brazil transferred him from Recife to Rio de

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perhaps a little tired. In his last eight years of his life devoted himself solely to painting.

About the author Guilherme Cunha Lima is graduated in Graphic Design, and has a Doctor’s Degree (PhD) from the University of Reading, UK. He engaged in higher education career as a lecturer, in 1980, at the Federal University of Pernambuco, where from 1988/92, he was Coordinator of the Graduation Course in Design, and from 1992/94 Head of the Department of Fine Arts. From 1990 on, his articles in design have been published in Brazil and abroad. He also designed and edited ten experimental art books. His book O Gráfico Amador: the roots of Brazilian Modern Typography, was published in 1997, and during the IV Biennial of Graphic Design of São Paulo, in 1998, he got an honorable mention due to his ʺcontribution to the historical research on the Brazilian graphic designʺ. In 2003, a new book was published, Foreigners, Con- structors of the Modernity. Since 1995, he has been Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the State University of Rio de Ja- neiro, where he was co-head of the Post Graduation Program in Design. He is a researcher 1D and counselor ad hoc for the CNPq, and several other Brazilian agencies of research and scientific development.

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