On the first professorship of history of fine arts, aesthetics and archaeology of the Americas and its transfers with Europe

• Grant number: 18/01351-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: June 04, 2018
• End date: February 28, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Arts - Plastic Arts
• Principal Investigator: Luciano Migliaccio
• Grantee: Fabio D'Almeida Lima Maciel
• Supervisor: François-René Martin
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FAU). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: École du Louvre, France
• Associated to the scholarship: 17/03741-2 - Archaeology of a discipline: on the first professorship of History of Fine Arts, Aesthetics and Archaeology of the Americas (1855-1870)., BP.PD

Abstract

This research project is circumscribed within the limits of a broader postdoctoral research currently underway in Brazil. It is a question of continuing to deal with a material which is still completely unexplored, although it is fundamental to the comprehension of the institutionalization of studies in the History of Art, Aesthetics and Archeology in Brazil during the nineteenth century. This process is significant not only for a national level, but also for an international one: the creation of an official chair of history and philosophy of art and archeology in Brazil occupies a very precocious historical place if compared to other American countries, and even to many European countries. For this new phase of our research, we are interested in studying the cultural transfers and the intellectual re-elaborations that have clearly been carried out between the lessons of the chair of History of Fine Arts, Aesthetics and Archeology of the Academy of Fine Arts of Rio de Janeiro and those of similar chairs opened in Europe, notably that of the École des Beaux-Arts de Paris. Such a comparative study is not fortuitous. In fact, Pedro Américo de Figueiredo e Mello (1843-1905), the first professor and holder of the Brazilian chair, had pursued his artistic and scientific educations in Europe, having followed the first course of art history and aesthetics inaugurated at École, in 1864.In this project, therefore, we intend to consult French archives, libraries and museums. It will be also necessary to undertake some field researches in other countries where Américo had also lived and studied right before inaugurating the Brazilian chair, such as Belgium and Italy. This proposal being accepted, then we will be able to have the access to a considerable number of primary and secondary bibliography, as well as to many works of art that are important to our research. The consultation of this material will undoubtedly help us to better understand the process of construction of art theoretical knowledge in Brazil, from the nineteenth century onwards. This seems to be a very first and necessary step to extend the question to other countries of Americas, in the continuity of this research in future. (AU)