the National Library Foundation

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Collection of the National Library Foundation

The last time part of the National Library Foundation’s collection was exhibited to the public, at least in a selection as big as the current one, was in the nineteenth century. The new and very comprehensive exhibition occupies 700m2 of the Cultural Center Correios and brings together 171 works of 82 foreign artists, from the XV to the XVIII century.

These works are of two different types: original engravings and reproductions of engravings. The original engravings are the ones which have no precedents. These have been created, engraved and printed by a single artist, or under his supervision. In the case of the reproductions of engravings, artists work from the composition of other artists, make it painting, sculpture, fresco paintings or lightings, with the aim of disseminating the work of the creator and circulate his or her image.

The engravings belong to the Royal Library of Portugal. Material from this library was taken to Brazil in 1810, giving birth to the National Library of Rio de Janeiro. Today, this library is considered by UNESCO as one of the ten largest in the world and the largest in Latin America. Currently, this collection has about 30,000 engravings.

For the exhibition, a group of 30 engravings from the German collection, 27 Dutch, 35 Italian, 26 French, 14 Flemish, 8 of the English, 18 Spanish and 13 of the Portuguese were put together. The historical importance of the engraver and engraving are given according to the curators, who chose to put the stress on artists recognized as the greatest exponents of each country and with the largest number of works for the exhibition.

The list of engravers that are presented in this exhibition in Rio de Janeiro goes as follows:

- German Collection: Durer, Martin Schongauer, Israel will Meckenen, Lucas Cranach, Hans SebaldBeham, Martin Treu, Georg Pencz, Heinrich Aldegrever and Virgil Solis;

- Dutch Collection: Rembrandt, Luca van Leyden, CornelisCort, HendrikGoltzius, Zacharias Dolendo, Jan Muller, Jacob Matham, Jan Saenredam Nicolas Visscher and Willem EnnesDelffJacobsz;

- ItalianCollection: Piranesi, Andrea Mantegna, Benedetto Montagna, AgostinodeiMusi – orVeneziano, Marco Antonio Raimondi, Giovanni BattistaGhisi – theMantuan, Mark Dente, Jacopo de Barbari, called Master Caduceu, Mastro Dado, Adamo Ghisi, Enea Vico, Ludovico Carracci, AgostinoCarracci, AnnibaleCarracci, Francesco Brizzi, Guido Reni, Stefano della Bella, Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, Salvator Rosa, Francesco Bartolozzi, and Giovanni Volpato;

- French Collection: Callot, Noel Garnier, François Perrier, Claude Mellan, EgidioRousselet, Gérard Audran, ÉtiennePicart, called the Roman, Gerard Edelinck, PetrusDevret, Charles Henri Dupuis and Simon Thomassin;

- Flemish Collection: Jacob Van Den Bos, Jan Sadeler Senior Raphael SadelerSênior, Cornelis Galle Senior EgidiusSadeler, Raphael Sadeler or Jovem, Anton van Dyck, Peeter de Jode Junior and Paulus Pontius;

- EnglishCollection: William Hogarth, Benjamin Smith, Peter Simon, Charles Gauthier Playter, John Ogborne, Samuel and Robert ThewMiddiman;

- SpanishCollection: Goya, José de Ribera, Manuel Salvador Carmona, Fernando Selma, Francisco Muntaner, Joaquín Ballester and Joaquin Fabregat;

- PortugueseCollection: Vieira Lusitano [Francisco Vieira de Matos], Joaquim Manuel da Rocha, Antonio Joaquim Padrão, Manuel da Silva Godinho, Francisco Gregorio de Queiroz and João CaetanoRivara.

The Cultural Center Correios is located at number 20 in RuaVisconde de Itaboraí – Centro in Rio de Janeiro. The telephone of the Center is (21) 2253-1580. The exhibition is open to the public from July 28th to September 18th, from Tuesdays to Sundays from 12 to 19 hours. Admission is free of charge. More information can be found on the website of the center: www.correios.com.br.

For those who are doing tourism in Rio de Janeiro this coming weekend, on Saturday, September 3, at 15 hours, there will be a guided tour of the exhibition with curator Fernanda Terra. On that occasion, the catalog of the exhibition will also have its official presentation. This catalog brings together 85 images in 100 pages and will be distributed to all those who participate in the visit.

Rio de Janeiro is famous for its beaches but, nevertheless, there is much more to discover. Cultural spaces in Rio de Janeiro are very interesting, make sure to visit them. Have a great trip!

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