Escola Nacional de Belas Artes

Welcome to the site of the former Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (ENBA), now the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (MNBA), located in the cultural corridor of Cinelandia in downtown Rio de Janeiro. This institution is the descendant…

One of the first and most striking spaces you encounter is the 'Hall of Casts.' This room is filled with white plaster replicas of some of the most famous sculptures from Greek and Roman antiquity. These casts were not merely…

The first floor of the museum is home to the core of its collection: the grand history paintings and portraits of 19th-century Brazil. This was the era of 'Indianism' and 'Romantic Nationalism,' where artists sought to create a…

Perhaps the most famous painting in the museum is Pedro Americo's 'Battle of Avahy.' This truly monumental work, which took three years to complete in the 1870s, is one of the largest canvases in the world. It depicts a key…

As you move through the galleries, you will encounter the works of Rodolfo Bernardelli, one of the most important sculptors of 19th-century Brazil. Bernardelli was both a student and later a long-time director of the National…

While the museum's heart is in the 19th century, its collection of national modern art is equally impressive. This section documents the radical break from academic tradition that occurred in the early 20th century. …

Finally, take a moment to appreciate the building itself as a work of art. The Museu Nacional de Belas Artes is one of the most important neoclassical buildings in Rio. …

As you exit the former Escola Nacional de Belas Artes, take a moment to reflect on the immense artistic legacy you have just witnessed. You have traveled from the classical foundations of the Hall of Casts, through the heroic and…