— "Não sou brasileiro nem português, sou Albuquerque de Pernambuco", assim se expressaria mais tarde o menino nascido Emiliano —6 de setembro de 1897 apelidado Didi, criado por sete amas de leite, entre saraus e poesias de Castro Alves... infância feliz no velho bairro de São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro. Fugidias escapadas à casa do tio Abolicionista José do Patrocínio, casado com tia Bibi, irmã de D. Rosália de Senna, sua mãe. Frederico Augusto, o militar austero, cedo negou ao menino irrequieto a proteção paterna. Partiu sem poder orgulhar-se do rapaz que iniciara a vida artística no ano de 1916, expondo em conjunto no Salão dos Humoristas. Aquele que se tornaria "glória nacional" idealista e autodidata, expôs individualmente na sede da Revista Cigarra em São Paulo, cidade que juntamente com Paris adotaria de coração como se nelas tivesse nascido.

Em fevereiro de 1922, tomou-se o pioneiro idealizador da Semana de Arte Moderna, galgando o mundo, expondo em Paris, Bélgica, Amsterdam, Roma, Nova York, Buenos Aires, Montevidéu e México. Conquistou medalha de ouro através do quadro "Mulata Desnuda", tema preferido por seus admiradores, onde "— a mais loura brasileira é a minha mulata metafísica..."

Sensualidade, arte barroca, erotismo, religiosidade, mulheres, cubismo, festas populares, samba e carnaval, burguesia, pescadores, natureza morta, folclore, flores, mar, impressionismo, paisagens, maternidade misturando-se a caricaturas, charges, portraits, paineis, murais, cenários e ilustrações.

Pintou em 1929 para o Teatro João Caetano "Samba e Carnaval", considerados os primeiros painéis modernistas da América Latina.

Escritor, Jornalista e Poeta publicou "Viagem da Minha Vida" e "Reminiscências Líricas de um Perfeito Carioca". Crónicas sobre suas vivências correram mundo. Como pintor, conquistou entre outros o prêmio de Melhor Pintor Nacional na II Bienal de São Paulo, recebeu o 1ro Prêmio na Mostra Internacional de Arte Sacra de Trieste, pelo quadro "Crucificação" adquirido pelo Instituto de Arte Litúrgica de Roma, Medalha de Ouro na II Bienal Interamericana do México e Prêmio Critica de Arte em 1971, por ocasião da Retrospectiva no Museu de Arte Modema de São Paulo.

Suas obras espalham-se em Museus e coleções particulares por toda América Latina, Estados Unidos e Europa, destacando-se os quadros "Família" Museu de Arte de Montevidéu, "Scene Brésilienne" Museu de Arte Modema de Paris, "Via Sacra" Catedral de Brasília, "Cinco Moças de Guaratinguetá" Museu de Arte de São Paulo, "Ciganos" e o tríptico "Navio Negreiro" no Museu Nacional de Belas Artes e "seu Ateliê e Obra Inacabada" permanecem no Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, doados após sua morte em 26 de outubro de 1976.

— "Criar é acima de tudo dar substância ideal ao que existe."

DAULA LUCIANA

100 Years of di cavalcanti's birth

 

I am neither Brazilian nor Portuguese, I am an Albuquerque from Pernambuco", this is what the boy named Emiliano would later say about himself. Nicknamed Didi, he was born on September 6th 1897, raised by seven wet nurses, among soirées and Castro Alves’ poetry... He had a joyful childhood in the old district of São Cristóvão, in Rio de Janeiro. He used to escape to his uncle’s house, the Abolitionist Jose do Patrocínio, married to his aunt Bibi, D. Rosália do Senna,s sister. Frederico Augusto, strict military man, soon denied the restless boy his fatherly protection. He left without being able to be proud of the boy who was beginning his artistic career in 1916, exhibiting at the Salão dos Humoristas (Humorists’ Salon). what the boy named Emiliano would later say about himself. Nicknamed Didi, he was born on September 6th 1897, raised by seven wet nurses, among soirées and Castro Alves’ poetry... He had a joyful childhood in the old district of São Cristóvão, in Rio de Janeiro. He used to escape to his uncle’s house, the Abolitionist Jose do Patrocínio, married to his aunt Bibi, D. Rosália do Senna,s sister. Frederico Augusto, strict military man, soon denied the restless boy his fatherly protection. He left without being able to be proud of the boy who was beginning his artistic career in 1916, exhibiting at the Salão dos Humoristas (Humorists’ Salon).

The one who would be a "national glory", an idealist and self-taught man, held an individual exhibition at the Revista Cigarra’s headquarters, in São Paulo, the city which he would adopt, along with Paris, as if he were a native.

In February, 1922, he became the pioneer organizer of the Modern Art Week. Then he left for other count ries, exhibiting in Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Rome, New York, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Mexico. He won the gold medal with his painting "Mulata Desnuda" ("Naked Mulatto Woman"), his admirers’ favorite theme, where In February, 1922, he became the pioneer organizer of the Modern Art Week. Then he left for other count ries, exhibiting in Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Rome, New York, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Mexico. He won the gold medal with his painting "Mulata Desnuda" ("Naked Mulatto Woman"), his admirers’ favorite theme, where "- the blondest Brazilian it my metaphysical mulatto woman..."

Sensuality, Baroque art, eroticism, religiousness, women, cubism, folk parties, samba and carnaval, bourgeois, fishermen, still life, folcklore, flowers, sea, impressionism, landscapes, motherhood all mixed with caricatures, portraits, panels, murals scenarios and illustrations. Sensuality, Baroque art, eroticism, religiousness, women, cubism, folk parties, samba and carnaval, bourgeois, fishermen, still life, folcklore, flowers, sea, impressionism, landscapes, motherhood all mixed with caricatures, portraits, panels, murals scenarios and illustrations.

He painted in 1929 for the João Caetano Theater "Samba e Carnaval", considered the first modernist panel in Latin America.

As a writer, journalist and poet, he published "Viagem da Minha Vida" (‘Trip of my Life") and "Reminiscências Líricas de um Perfeito Carioca" ("Lyrical Remembrances of a Typical Carioca"). Chronicles about his experiences spread around the world. As a painter, ho was awarded the Best Brazilian Painter at the II São Paulo Biennial, the 1 Prize at the Trioste International Exhibition of Sacred Art, with his painting "Crusificação" ("Crucifixion"), which was bought by the Rome Institute of Liturgical Art; Gold Modal in the II Mexico International Biennial and Art Review Prize in 1971, during me São Paulo Museum of Modem Art Review.

His works are spread thoughout museums and private collections in Latin America, United States and Europe. Among them, we could emphasize me paintings "Família" ("Family") at me Montevideo Museum of Art, "Scêne Brésilienne" at the Paris Modern Art Museum, "Via Sacra" ("The Stations of the Cross") in me Brasília Cathedral, "Cinco Moças de Guaratinguetá" ("Five Young Giris from Guaratinguetá") at the São Paulo Museum of Art, "Ciganos" ("Gypsies") and the triptych "Navio Negreiro" ("Síave Ship"> at the Belas Artes National Museum and "his Atelier and Unfinished Work", which are still at the São Paulo Modern Art Museum, having been donated after his death on October 26, 1976.

"To create is, above all, to substantiate ideal to the existing."

DALILA LUCIANA

Emiliano DI CAVALCANTI’s Intellectual Patrimony Qificial Biographer and Curator