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The Academia Brasileira de Letras (ABL) ( English: ''Brazilian Academy of Letters'') is a Brazilian
literary Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to includ ...
non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century. The first president,
Machado de Assis Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (), often known by his surnames as Machado de Assis, ''Machado,'' or ''Bruxo do Cosme Velho''Vainfas, p. 505. (21 June 1839 – 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short stor ...
, declared its foundation on Tuesday, 15 December 1896, with the by-laws being passed on Thursday, 28 January 1897. On Tuesday, 20 July of the same year, the academy started its operation. According to its statutes, it is the pre-eminent Portuguese council for matters pertaining to the Portuguese language. The ABL is considered the foremost institution devoted to the Portuguese language in Brazil. Its prestige and technical qualification gives it paramount authority in
Brazilian Portuguese Brazilian Portuguese (' ), also Portuguese of Brazil (', ) or South American Portuguese (') is the set of varieties of the Portuguese language native to Brazil and the most influential form of Portuguese worldwide. It is spoken by almost all of ...
, even though it is not a public institution and no law grants it oversight over the language. The academy's main publication in this field is the Orthographic Vocabulary of the Portuguese Language (''Vocabulário Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa'') which has five editions. The ''Vocabulary'' is prepared by the academy's Commission on Lexicology and Lexicography. If a word is not included in the ''Vocabulary'', it is considered not to exist as a correct word in Brazilian Portuguese. Since its beginning and to this day, the academy is composed of 40 members, known as the "immortals". These members are chosen from among citizens of Brazil who have published works or books with recognized literary value. The position of "immortal" is awarded for the lifetime. New members are admitted by a vote of the academy members when one of the "chairs" become vacant. The chairs are numbered and each has a Patron: the Patrons are 40 great Brazilian writers that were already dead when the ABL was founded; the names of the Patrons were chosen by the Founders as to honour them ''post mortem'' by assigning patronage over a chair. Thus, each chair is associated with its current holder, her or his predecessors, the original Founder who occupied it in the first place, and also with a Patron. The academicians use formal gala gilded uniforms with a sword (the uniform is called "fardão") when participating in official meetings at the academy. The body has the task of acting as an official authority on the language; it is charged with publishing an official dictionary of the language. Its rulings, however, are not binding on either the public or the government.


History


Foundation

The initiative to establish the ABL was taken by and was realised in preparatory meetings that began on 15 December 1896, under the presidency of
Machado de Assis Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (), often known by his surnames as Machado de Assis, ''Machado,'' or ''Bruxo do Cosme Velho''Vainfas, p. 505. (21 June 1839 – 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short stor ...
. The statuses of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and the membership of the 40 founding fathers were approved at these meetings, on 28 January 1897. On 20 July of the same year, the inaugural session was held at the ''Pedagogiums facility in the centre of
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
. Without appointed headquarters or financial resources, the solemn meetings of the academy were held at the hall of the
Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading (Portuguese: ''Real Gabinete Português de Leitura'') is a library and lusophone cultural institution, is located in Luís de Camões Street, number 30, in the center of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ...
, at the premises of the former National Gymnasium and at the Noble Hall of the Ministry of the Interior. The joint sessions were held at the law firm of Rodrigo Octávio, the ABL's first secretary's, at Quitanda Street, 47. In 1904, the academy obtained the left wing of the Brazilian Silogeo, a governmental building that housed other cultural institutions. It remained there until moving to its own headquarters in 1923.


Petit Trianon

In 1923, thanks to the initiative of its president at the time, Afrânio Peixoto and of the then-French ambassador, Raymond Conty, the
French government The Government of France ( French: ''Gouvernement français''), officially the Government of the French Republic (''Gouvernement de la République française'' ), exercises executive power in France. It is composed of the Prime Minister, who ...
donated the French Pavilion building to the Academy. The building had been built for the Independence of Brazil's Centenary International Exposition by the architect
Ange-Jacques Gabriel Ange-Jacques Gabriel (23 October 1698 – 4 January 1782) was the principal architect of King Louis XV of France. His major works included the Place de la Concorde, the École Militaire, and the Petit Trianon and opera theater at the Palace of V ...
, between 1762 and 1768 and was a replica of the
Petit Trianon The Petit Trianon (; French for "small Trianon") is a Neoclassical style château located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France. It was built between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of King Louis XV of France. ...
of
Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, ...
. These facilities have been inscribed as Brazilian
Cultural heritage Cultural heritage is the heritage of tangible and intangible heritage assets of a group or society that is inherited from past generations. Not all heritages of past generations are "heritage"; rather, heritage is a product of selection by soc ...
since Monday, 9 November 1987, by the State Institute of Cultural Heritage (INEPAC), of the Municipal Secretary of Culture of Rio de Janeiro. To the present day, its halls continue to host regular meetings, solemn sessions, commemorative meetings and inauguration sessions of the new academics, as well as the traditional Thursdays' tea. They are also open to the public for guided tours or for special cultural programs, such as chamber music concerts, book launches, conference cycles and theatre plays. In the buildings' first floor hall stands the decorated marble floor, a French crystal
chandelier A chandelier (; also known as girandole, candelabra lamp, or least commonly suspended lights) is a branched ornamental light fixture designed to be mounted on ceilings or walls. Chandeliers are often ornate, and normally use incandescent ...
, a large white porcelain vase from
Sèvres Sèvres (, ) is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a population of 23,251 as of 2018, is known for ...
and four English bas-reliefs. Inside the building, the following premises stand out: * the Noble Hall, where the solemn sessions take place; * the French Hall, where the new members traditionally remain alone, in reflection; * the Room, where an oil painting on canvas of a collective of nineteenth-century writers and intellectuals, by the painter
Rodolfo Amoedo Rodolfo Amoedo (11 December 1857 – 31 May 1941) was a Brazilian painter, designer and decorator. Biography His interest in art and decoration began when a family friend (who was a lyricist) invited him to do work on the now defunct Teatro Sã ...
, is depicted; * the Hall of the Founders, decorated with period furniture and paintings by
Candido Portinari Candido Portinari (December 29, 1903 – February 6, 1962) was a Brazilian painter. He is considered one of the most important Brazilian painters as well as a prominent and influential practitioner of the neo-realism style in painting. Portinari ...
; * the
Machado de Assis Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (), often known by his surnames as Machado de Assis, ''Machado,'' or ''Bruxo do Cosme Velho''Vainfas, p. 505. (21 June 1839 – 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short stor ...
Room, decorated with the writer's desk, books and personal belongings, such as portrait by painter Henrique Bernardelli; * the Hall of Romantic Poets, which holds bronze busts of
Castro Alves Antônio Frederico de Castro Alves (14 March 1847 – 6 July 1871) was a Brazilian poet and playwright, famous for his abolitionist and republican poems. One of the most famous poets of the "Condorism", he won the epithet of "O Poeta dos Es ...
,
Fagundes Varela Luís Nicolau Fagundes Varela (August 17, 1841 – February 18, 1875) was a Brazilian Romantic poet, adept of the "Ultra-Romanticism" movement. He is patron of the 11th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Biography Luís Nicolau Fagu ...
,
Gonçalves Dias Antônio Gonçalves Dias (; August 10, 1823November 3, 1864) was a Brazilian Romantic poet, playwright, ethnographer, lawyer and linguist. A major exponent of Brazilian Romanticism and of the literary tradition known as " Indianism", he is ...
,
Casimiro de Abreu Casimiro José Marques de Abreu (January 4, 1839 – October 18, 1860) was a Brazilian poet, novelist and playwright, adept of the "Ultra-Romanticism" movement. He is famous for the poem "Meus oito anos". He is patron of the 6th chair of the B ...
and
Álvares de Azevedo Manuel Antônio Álvares de Azevedo (September 12, 1831 – April 25, 1852), affectionately called "Maneco" by his close friends, relatives and admirers, was a Brazilian Romantic poet, short story writer, playwright and essayist, considered to b ...
, by Brazilian-Mexican sculptor Rodolfo Bernardelli. On the second floor, one can find the Sessions Room, the Library the Tea Room. The Tea Room is the academics' meeting point before the Plenary Session, on Thursdays. The Library is used by scholars and researchers and holds a collection of
Manuel Bandeira Manuel Carneiro de Sousa Bandeira Filho (April 19, 1886 – October 13, 1968) was a Brazilian poet, literary critic, and translator, who wrote over 20 books of poetry and prose. Life and career Bandeira was born in Recife, Pernambuco. In 190 ...
.


Dictatorship

During periods like the Vargas' totalitarian dictatorship or the
Brazilian military government The military dictatorship in Brazil ( pt, ditadura militar) was established on 1 April 1964, after a coup d'état by the Brazilian Armed Forces, with support from the United States government, against President João Goulart. The Brazilian dicta ...
, the academy's neutrality in choosing proper members dedicated to the literary profession was compromised with the election of politicians with few or no contributions to literature, such as ex-president and dictator
Getúlio Vargas Getúlio Dornelles Vargas (; 19 April 1882 – 24 August 1954) was a Brazilian lawyer and politician who served as the 14th and 17th president of Brazil, from 1930 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1954. Due to his long and controversial tenure as Brazi ...
in 1943.JORGE, Fernando. A Academia do Fardão e da Confusão: a Academia Brasileira de Letras e os seus 'Imortais' mortais. São Paulo: Geração Editorial, 1999. The Academy is also accused of not having defended culture expression and freedom of speech during both Vargas' Era and during the
Military dictatorship A military dictatorship is a dictatorship in which the military exerts complete or substantial control over political authority, and the dictator is often a high-ranked military officer. The reverse situation is to have civilian control of the ...
. Both of these ruling periods imposed heavy censorship on
Brazilian culture The culture of Brazil is primarily Western, being derived from Portuguese culture, as well as the cultural and ethnic mixing that occurred between the Indigenous peoples, Portuguese colonizers and Africans. In the late 19th and early 20th centu ...
, including
Brazilian literature Brazilian literature is the literature written in the Portuguese language by Brazilians or in Brazil, including works written prior to the country's independence in 1822. Throughout its early years, literature from Brazil followed the literary t ...
.


Characteristic

According to its statutes, the Academy aims to promote the "culture of the national language". It comprises 40 effective and perpetual members, known as "immortals". These members are Brazilian citizens with published works of relevant literary value. Besides these members, the ABL also comprises 20 correspondent members. All members go through a solemn session, in which dress the Academy's official garment for the first time. During the ceremony, the new member makes a speech remembering her or his predecessor and all previous members that occupied the chair. The ABL, which was a traditionally male institution, elected its first female member on Friday, 4 November 1977 – the novelist
Rachel de Queiroz Rachel de Queiroz (, November 17, 1910 – November 4, 2003) was a Brazilian author, translator and journalist. Biography Rachel de Queiroz was born on 17 November 1910 in Fortaleza, capital of the northeastern state of Ceará. During her ch ...
. This groundbreaking election of the novelist opened the path for other female members. The academy now accounts for four women members (10% of its total membership), one of which,
Nélida Piñon Nélida Piñon Nélida Piñon (3 May 1937 – 17 December 2022) was a Brazilian author and professor. At the time of her death, Piñon was "considered among the foremost writers in Brazil today". Life Piñon was born in 1937 in Rio de Janeiro. He ...
, served as president in 1996–97.


Nowadays

Thanks to revenues over $ 4 million a year, the academy is financially stable. It owns a skyscraper with 28 floors (''Palácio Austregésilo de Athayde'') in the centre of Rio, which the academy rents for office space, generating 70% of its current revenue. The rest comes from rental of other buildings, which were inherited from book editor , in 1917, and from other financial investments. This comfortable situation allows the payment of a " jeton" to each academician. The academy annually awards several literary prizes: * the Prêmio Machado de Assis, the most important literature prize in the country, awarded for lifework; * the ABL prizes for poetry, fiction, drama, essays, history of the literature and for children's literature; * the José Lins do Rego prize, an extraordinary commemorative prize awarded in 2001 * the Afonso Arinos prize, an extraordinary commemorative prize awarded in 2005. The academy also publishes a literary periodical, the Brazilian Review (''Revista Brasileira''), with quarterly editions.


Orthographic Vocabulary

The academy's main publication in this field is the ''Orthographic Vocabulary of the Portuguese Language'' (''Vocabulário Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa'') of which there are five editions. The ''Vocabulary'' is prepared by the ABL's Commission on Lexicology and Lexicography. If a word is not included in the ''Vocabulary'', it is considered not to exist as a correct word in
Brazilian Portuguese Brazilian Portuguese (' ), also Portuguese of Brazil (', ) or South American Portuguese (') is the set of varieties of the Portuguese language native to Brazil and the most influential form of Portuguese worldwide. It is spoken by almost all of ...
. The ''Orthographic Vocabulary'', however, is not a
dictionary A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged alphabetically (or by radical and stroke for ideographic languages), which may include information on definitions, usage, etymologie ...
, as it contains words and their
grammatical categories In linguistics, a grammatical category or grammatical feature is a property of items within the grammar of a language. Within each category there are two or more possible values (sometimes called grammemes), which are normally mutually exclusive ...
, but not the definition or meaning of the words listed. Thus, unlike the
French Academy French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...
, the
Royal Spanish Academy The Royal Spanish Academy ( es, Real Academia Española, generally abbreviated as RAE) is Spain's official royal institution with a mission to ensure the stability of the Spanish language. It is based in Madrid, Spain, and is affiliated with ...
and other foreign institutions dedicated to the care of a national language, the Brazilian Academy of Letters hasn't published an official dictionary. It has, however, published a School Dictionary of the Portuguese Language (''Dicionário Escolar da Língua Portuguesa''), with students as its target customers, in 2009. The ABL does plan to publish a full and official Dictionary. For the time being, however, other dictionaries such as the ''Aurélio'' and the ''Houaiss'' remain more prestigious than the ''School Dictionary'', in spite of the fact that the latter is sometimes marketed by
booksellers Bookselling is the commercial trading of books which is the retail and distribution end of the publishing process. People who engage in bookselling are called booksellers, bookdealers, bookpeople, bookmen, or bookwomen. The founding of librari ...
as the "ABL's Dictionary", due to its being authored by the academy. Both the ''Houaiss'' and the ''Aurélio'' Dictionaries, however, were first compiled by members of the academy Antônio Houaiss and
Aurélio Buarque de Holanda Ferreira Aurélio Buarque de Holanda Ferreira (May 3, 1910 – February 28, 1989) was a Brazilian lexicographer, philologist, translator, and writer, best known for editing the '' Novo Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa'', a major dictionary of the Portugue ...
, respectively. The preparation of an official dictionary of the
Portuguese language Portuguese ( or, in full, ) is a western Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European language family, originating in the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. It is an official language of Portugal, Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, ...
is a stated goal of the Brazilian Academy of Letters.


Members


Original patrons

#
Adelino Fontoura Adelino Fontoura Chaves (March 30, 1859 – May 2, 1884) was a Brazilian poet, actor and journalist. He is the patron of the 1st chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Life Adelino Fontoura was born in the city of Axixá, in Maranhão, to An ...
#
Álvares de Azevedo Manuel Antônio Álvares de Azevedo (September 12, 1831 – April 25, 1852), affectionately called "Maneco" by his close friends, relatives and admirers, was a Brazilian Romantic poet, short story writer, playwright and essayist, considered to b ...
#
Artur de Oliveira Artur de Oliveira was a Brazilian writer, teacher and poet. He was born in Porto Alegre on August 11, 1851, and died in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, on August 21, 1882. He was the patron of chair no. 3 at the Brazilian Academy of Letters, by choice of F ...
#
Basílio da Gama José Basílio da Gama (April 10, 1740 – July 31, 1795) was a Portuguese poet and member of the Society of Jesus, born in the colony of Brazil, famous for the epic poem '' O Uraguai''. He wrote under pen name Termindo Sipílio. He is patron of t ...
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Bernardo Guimarães Bernardo Joaquim da Silva Guimarães (; August 15, 1825 – March 10, 1884) was a Brazilian poet and novelist. He is the author of the famous romances '' A Escrava Isaura'' and '' O Seminarista''. He also introduced to Brazilian poetry the ''verso ...
#
Casimiro de Abreu Casimiro José Marques de Abreu (January 4, 1839 – October 18, 1860) was a Brazilian poet, novelist and playwright, adept of the "Ultra-Romanticism" movement. He is famous for the poem "Meus oito anos". He is patron of the 6th chair of the B ...
#
Castro Alves Antônio Frederico de Castro Alves (14 March 1847 – 6 July 1871) was a Brazilian poet and playwright, famous for his abolitionist and republican poems. One of the most famous poets of the "Condorism", he won the epithet of "O Poeta dos Es ...
#
Cláudio Manuel da Costa Cláudio Manuel da Costa (June 4, 1729 – July 4, 1789) was a Brazilian poet and musician, considered to be the introducer of Neoclassicism in Brazil. He wrote under the pen name Glauceste Satúrnio, and his most famous work is the epic poem ' ...
# Gonçalves de Magalhães #
Evaristo da Veiga Evaristo Ferreira da Veiga e Barros (October 8, 1799 – May 12, 1837) was a Brazilian poet, journalist, politician and bookseller. Veiga founded one of the first Brazilian newspapers, ''A Aurora Fluminense'', in 1827, during the reign of Empero ...
#
Fagundes Varela Luís Nicolau Fagundes Varela (August 17, 1841 – February 18, 1875) was a Brazilian Romantic poet, adept of the "Ultra-Romanticism" movement. He is patron of the 11th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Biography Luís Nicolau Fagu ...
# França Júnior #
Francisco Otaviano Francisco Otaviano de Almeida Rosa (26 June 1825 – 28 June 1889) was a Brazilian poet, lawyer, diplomat, journalist and politician. He is famous for translating into Portuguese works by famous writers such as Horace, Catullus, Lord Byron, Will ...
#
Franklin Távora João Franklin da Silveira Távora (January 13, 1842 – August 18, 1888) was a Brazilian novelist, journalist, politician, lawyer and dramatist, famous for his Regionalist romance '' O Cabeleira'', set in 18th-century Pernambuco. He wrote under t ...
#
Gonçalves Dias Antônio Gonçalves Dias (; August 10, 1823November 3, 1864) was a Brazilian Romantic poet, playwright, ethnographer, lawyer and linguist. A major exponent of Brazilian Romanticism and of the literary tradition known as " Indianism", he is ...
#
Gregório de Matos Gregório de Matos e Guerra (December 23, 1636 – November 26, 1696) was a famous Colonial Brazilian Baroque poet. Although he wrote many lyrical and religious poems, he was better known for his satirical ones, most of them criticizing the Cathol ...
#
Hipólito da Costa Hipólito José da Costa Pereira Furtado de Mendonça (August 13, 1774 – September 11, 1823) was a Brazilian journalist and diplomat considered to be the "father of Brazilian press". He is the patron of the 17th chair of the Brazilian Academy o ...
#
João Francisco Lisboa João is the Portuguese equivalent of the given name John. The diminutive is Joãozinho and the feminine is Joana. It is widespread in Portuguese-speaking countries. Notable people with the name are enumerated in the sections below. Kings * Jo ...
# Joaquim Caetano da Silva #
Joaquim Manuel de Macedo Joaquim Manuel de Macedo (June 24, 1820 – May 11, 1882) was a Brazilian novelist, doctor, teacher, poet, playwright and journalist, famous for the romance '' A Moreninha''. He is the patron of the 20th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters ...
#
Joaquim Serra Joaquim Serra (born Joaquim Maria Serra Sobrinho) was a Brazilian journalist, professor, politician and playwright. He was born in São Luís, Maranhão on July 20, 1838, and died in Rio de Janeiro on October 29, 1888. He was the patron of Chair 2 ...
#
José Bonifácio the Younger José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (November 8, 1827 – October 26, 1886) was a French-born Brazilian poet, teacher and senator. He is known as "the Younger" ( pt, O Moço) to distinguish him from his grand-uncle, José Bonifácio de Andrada e ...
#
José de Alencar José Martiniano de Alencar (May 1, 1829 – December 12, 1877) was a Brazilian lawyer, politician, orator, novelist and dramatist. He is considered to be one of the most famous and influential Brazilian Romantic novelists of the 19th cent ...
#
Júlio Ribeiro Júlio César Ribeiro Vaughan (April 16, 1845 – November 1, 1890) was a Brazilian Naturalist novelist, philologist, journalist and grammarian. He is famous for his controversial romance '' A Carne'' and for designing the flag of the State of ...
#
Junqueira Freire Luís José Junqueira Freire (December 31, 1832 – June 24, 1855) was a Brazilian poet and Benedictine monk, adept of the " Ultra-Romanticism" movement and author of ''Inspirações do Claustro''. He is the patron of the 25th chair of the Brazili ...
#
Laurindo Rabelo Laurindo José da Silva Rabelo (July 8, 1826 – September 28, 1864) was a Brazilian Ultra-Romantic poet, teacher and medician. Famous for his '' lundu'' lyrics and satires, he won the epithet of "the Brazilian Bocage", and, because of his physica ...
#
Antônio Peregrino Maciel Monteiro Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ...
# Manuel Antônio de Almeida # Martins Pena #
Pardal Mallet João Carlos de Medeiros Pardal Mallet (December 9, 1864 – November 24, 1894) was a Brazilian journalist and novelist. He is the patron of the 30th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Life Mallet was born in the city of Bagé, in Rio Gr ...
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Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa (December 13, 1839 – July 16, 1884) was a Brazilian poet, politician, orator and lawyer, adept of the " Condorist" movement. He is the patron of the 31st chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Life Pedro Luís ...
#
Manuel de Araújo Porto-Alegre Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...
#
Raul Pompeia Raul d'Ávila Pompeia (April 12, 1863 – December 25, 1895) was a Brazilian novelist, short story writer and chronicler. He is famous for the Impressionist romance '' O Ateneu''. He is patron of the 33rd chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters ...
#
Sousa Caldas Antônio Pereira de Sousa Caldas (November 24, 1762 – March 2, 1814) was a Colonial Brazilian poet, priest and orator, patron of the 34th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. About Sousa Caldas was born in 1762, to Portuguese merchant Lu ...
# Tavares Bastos #
Teófilo Dias Teófilo Odorico Dias de Mesquita (November 8, 1854 – March 29, 1889) was a Brazilian poet, journalist and lawyer, nephew of the famous Romantic author Gonçalves Dias. He is the patron of the 36th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. ...
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Tomás António Gonzaga Tomás António Gonzaga (11 August 1744c. 1810) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian poet. One of the most famous Neoclassic colonial Brazilian writers, he was also the ''ouvidor'' and the ombudsman of the city of Ouro Preto (formerly "Vila Rica") ...
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Tobias Barreto Tobias Barreto de Meneses (June 7, 1839 – June 26, 1889) was a Brazilian poet, philosopher, jurist and literary critic. He is famous for creating the " Condorism" and revolutionizing Brazilian Romanticism and poetry. He is patron of the 38th cha ...
#
Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen, Viscount of Porto Seguro (February 17, 1816 – June 26, 1878), was a Brazilian diplomat and historian. He is the patron of the 39th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. He is considered "the father of modern ...
# José Maria da Silva Paranhos Sr.


Correspondents

#
Alexandre de Gusmão Alexandre de Gusmão ( Santos, 17 July 1695 – Lisbon, 9 May 1753) was a diplomat born in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. He is regarded as one of the best diplomats of his time, chiefly for his role in negotiating the Treaty of Madrid in 17 ...
#
António José da Silva António José da Silva Coutinho (8 May 170518 October 1739) was a Portuguese dramatist born in colonial Brazil, known as "the Jew" (''O Judeu''). The Brazilian spelling of his first name is Antônio; António José da Silva Coutinho in Hebrew is ...
# Manuel Botelho de Oliveira #
Eusébio de Matos Eusébio de Matos e Guerra (Salvador, 1629 - 7 July 1692) was an orator, painter, poet, and professor of theology. He worked between 1629 and 1692 and was a student of Maurício de Nassau, founder of the "Bahian school" of painting. He was a brot ...
# Francisco de Sousa # Matias Aires # Nuno Marques Pereira #
Sebastião da Rocha Pita Sebastião is Portuguese for ''Sebastian''. This name may refer to: People * Sebastião (given name) Sebastião is a Portuguese male given name, descending from the Latin Sebastianus and equivalent to the English name Sebastian. Notable peop ...
#
Santa Rita Durão José de Santa Rita Durão (1722–1784), known simply as Santa Rita Durão, was a Colonial Brazilian Neoclassic poet, orator and Augustinian friar. He is considered a forerunner of " Indianism" in Brazilian literature, with his epic poem ''Car ...
#
Vicente do Salvador Vicente do Salvador born Vicente Rodrigues Palha, (Salvador, December 20, 1564 – c. 1635) was a Franciscan friar in the Portuguese colony of Brazil, the author of the first history of Brazil, often titled the "father of Brazilian history". Vicen ...
#
Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira Alexandre Rodrigues Ferreira (April 27, 1756 – April 23, 1815) was a Portuguese naturalist born in Brazil. He undertook an extensive journey which crossed the interior of the Amazon Basin to Mato Grosso, between 1783 and 1792. During this jou ...
# Antônio de Morais Silva # Domingos Borges de Barros #
Francisco do Monte Alverne Francisco do Monte Alverne (August 9, 1784 – December 2, 1858) was a Brazilian Franciscan friar, and the official preacher of the Empire of Brazil. He is the correspondent patron of the 14th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Life Mon ...
#
Joaquim Gonçalves Ledo Joaquim Gonçalves Ledo (11 December 1781 – 9 May 1847) was a Brazilian journalist and politician. He was active in the freemasonry movement in Brazil. He was one of the leaders of the more liberal and democrat faction during the confused perio ...
#
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva (; 13 June 17636 April 1838) was a Brazilian statesman, naturalist, mineralist, professor and poet, born in Santos, São Paulo, then part of the Portuguese Empire. He was one of the most important mentors ...
# Odorico Mendes #
Manuel Inácio da Silva Alvarenga Manuel Inácio da Silva Alvarenga (1749–1814) was a Brazilian poet. He had a life-long commitment to life-long learning and promoting civic values and educational reforms. Silva Alvarenga edited one of the first newspapers in Brazil, ''O Patriota ...
# Sotero dos Reis # José da Silva Lisboa


Presidents

#
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (), often known by his surnames as Machado de Assis, ''Machado,'' or ''Bruxo do Cosme Velho''Vainfas, p. 505. (21 June 1839 – 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short stor ...
1897–1908 #
Ruy Barbosa Ruy Barbosa de Oliveira (5 November 1849 – 1 March 1923), also known as Rui Barbosa, was a Brazilian polymath, diplomat, writer, jurist, and politician. Born in Salvador, Bahia, and a distinguished and staunch defender of civil liberties and ...
1908–1919 # Domício da Gama 1919 # Carlos de Laet 1919–1922 # Afrânio Peixoto 1922–1923 #
Medeiros e Albuquerque José Joaquim de Campos da Costa de Medeiros e Albuquerque (4 September 1867 – 9 June 1934) was a Brazilian poet, politician, teacher, journalist, short story writer, civil servant, essayist, orator, novelist and dramatist. He is famous for wri ...
1923 # Afrânio Peixoto 1923–1924 #
Afonso Celso de Assis Figueiredo Júnior Afonso Celso de Assis Figueiredo Júnior, titled Count of Afonso Celso by the Holy See, better known as Afonso Celso, (31 March 1860 – 11 July 1938) was a teacher, poet, historian and Brazilian politician. He is one of the founders of the B ...
1925 # Coelho Neto 1926 #
Rodrigo Otávio Rodrigo is a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian name derived from the Germanic name '' Roderick'' (Gothic ''*Hroþareiks'', via Latinized ''Rodericus'' or ''Rudericus''), given specifically in reference to either King Roderic (d. 712), the last V ...
1927 #
Augusto de Lima Antônio Augusto de Lima (5 April 1859 – 22 April 1934) was a Brazilian journalist, poet, musician, magistrate, jurist, professor and politician. He was born in Congonhas de Sabará (now Nova Lima). Augusto de Lima was governor of the s ...
1928 # Fernando Magalhães 1929 # Aloisio de Castro 1930 # Fernando Magalhães 1931–1932 #
Gustavo Barroso Gustavo Adolfo Luiz Dodt da Cunha Barroso (December 29, 1888 – December 3, 1959) was a Brazilian lawyer, writer and politician associated with Brazilian Integralism and antisemitism. He was also known by the pseudonym João do Norte. Being con ...
1932–1933 # Ramiz Galvão 1933–1934 #
Afonso Celso de Assis Figueiredo Júnior Afonso Celso de Assis Figueiredo Júnior, titled Count of Afonso Celso by the Holy See, better known as Afonso Celso, (31 March 1860 – 11 July 1938) was a teacher, poet, historian and Brazilian politician. He is one of the founders of the B ...
1935 #
Laudelino Freire Laudelino is a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Laudelino Barros (born 1975), Brazilian boxer * Laudelino Cubino (born 1963), Spanish road racing cyclist * (1873–1937), Brazilian journalist, lawyer and author * Laudelino Mejía ...
1936 # Ataulfo de Paiva 1937 # Cláudio de Souza 1938 #
Antônio Austregésilo Antônio Austregésilo (April 21, 1876 – December 23, 1960), was a Brazilian neurologist important to the history of the field in his nation. Austregésilo was born in Pernambuco. He helped build the first neurological school in Rio de Jane ...
1939 #
Celso Vieira Celso Vieira (born 25 September 1974) is a former Brazilian football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of foot ...
1940 #
Levi Carneiro Levi Fernandes Carneiro (Niterói, August 8, 1882 – Rio de Janeiro, September 5, 1971) was a Brazilian lawyer, jurist and writer. He was a judge of the International Court of Justice. Biography He was trained in law at the Free Law School of ...
1941 # Macedo Sorares 1942–1943 #
Múcio Leão Múcio Carneiro Leão was a Brazilian journalist, poet, short story writer, critic, novelist, essayist and speaker. He was born in Recife on February 17, 1898, and died in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, on August 12, 1969. His parents were Dr. Laurindo Leão ...
1944 #
Pedro Calmon Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning " ...
1945 #
Cláudio de Sousa Claudio is an Italian and Spanish first name. In Portuguese it is accented Cláudio. In Catalan and Occitan it is Claudi, while in Romanian it is Claudiu. Origin and history Claudius was the name of an eminent Roman gens, the most important ...
1946 # João Neves da Fontoura 1947 #
Adelmar Tavares Adelmar Tavares da Silva (Recife, February 16, 1888 – June 20, 1963 Rio de Janeiro) was a lawyer, magistrate, jurist, professor and poet from Recife. He was a member of Brazilian Societies devoted to criminology and law. As a poet he was respec ...
1948 #
Miguel Osório de Almeida Miguel Osório de Almeida (September 1, 1890 – December 2, 1952, both in Rio de Janeiro) was a noted Brazilian physician and scientist, brother of another scientist, Álvaro Osório de Almeida, both considered the ''fathers'' of modern physiol ...
1949 #
Gustavo Barroso Gustavo Adolfo Luiz Dodt da Cunha Barroso (December 29, 1888 – December 3, 1959) was a Brazilian lawyer, writer and politician associated with Brazilian Integralism and antisemitism. He was also known by the pseudonym João do Norte. Being con ...
1950-1950 # Aloisio de Castro 1951 # Aníbal Freire da Fonseca 1952 #
Barbosa Lima Sobrinho Alexandre José Barbosa Lima e Sobrinho (January 22, 1897 – July 16, 2000) was a Brazilian lawyer, writer, historian, essayist, journalist and politician Sobrinho was born in Recife on January 22, 1897. In 1917 he graduated in law and soci ...
1953–1954 #
Rodrigo Otávio Filho Rodrigo is a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian name derived from the Germanic name ''Roderick'' ( Gothic ''*Hroþareiks'', via Latinized ''Rodericus'' or ''Rudericus''), given specifically in reference to either King Roderic (d. 712), the last Vi ...
1955 #
Peregrino Júnior Peregrino is an oil field (block BM-C-7) located offshore of Brazil, east of Rio de Janeiro, in the southwest part of the Campos Basin area with about of oil in place within the sanctioned area. The oil field was discovered in 2004 and was fo ...
1956–1957 #
Elmano Cardim Elmano Cardim was a Brazilian journalist. He was born on December 24, 1891, in Valença. He was the fifth occupant of Chair 39 of the Brazilian Academy of Letters The Academia Brasileira de Letras (ABL) ( English: ''Brazilian Academy of L ...
1958 #
Austregésilo de Athayde Austregésilo de Athayde (September 25, 1898 – September 13, 1993) was a writer and journalist born in Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil. His career includes being invited by Assis Chateaubriand to work at a top position at the Diários Associados. La ...
1959–1993 #
Abgar Renault Abgar V (c. 1st century BC - c. AD 50), called Ukkāmā (meaning "the Black" in Syriac and other dialects of Aramaic),, syr, ܐܒܓܪ ܚܡܝܫܝܐ ܐܘܟܡܐ, ʾAḇgar Ḥmīšāyā ʾUkkāmā, hy, Աբգար Ե Եդեսացի, Abgar Hingero ...
1993 # Josué Montello 1993–1995 # Antônio Houaiss 1995–1996 #
Nélida Piñon Nélida Piñon Nélida Piñon (3 May 1937 – 17 December 2022) was a Brazilian author and professor. At the time of her death, Piñon was "considered among the foremost writers in Brazil today". Life Piñon was born in 1937 in Rio de Janeiro. He ...
1996–1997 #
Arnaldo Niskier Arnaldo Niskier is a Brazilian scholar. He was born in Rio de Janeiro in April 1935. He is the seventh occupant of Chair nº 18 at the Academia Brasileira, to which he was elected on March 22, 1984, succeeding Peregrino Júnior. He was received o ...
1997–1999 # Tarcísio Padilha 2000–2002 # Alberto da Costa e Silva 2002–2004 #
Ivan Junqueira Ivan Junqueira was a Brazilian poet, essayist and translator. He was a four-time winner of the Jabuti Prize: * in 1995, for the book of poems ''A consecração dos osso'' * in 2005, for his translation of the complete poetry of TS Eliot, publishe ...
2004–2005 # Marcos Vinícios Rodrigues Vilaça 2006–2007 #
Cícero Sandroni Cícero Augusto Ribeiro Sandroni (born February 26, 1935) is a Brazilian journalist. Early life Sandroniwas born in the city of São Paulo, on February 26, 1935, the son of Ranieri Sandroni and Alzira Ribeiro Sandroni (both born in Guaxupé, Mi ...
2008


Current members

The members of the Brazilian Academy of Letters (June 2019): #
Ana Maria Machado Ana Maria Machado (born 24 December 1941) is a Brazilian writer of children's books, one of the most significant alongside Lygia Bojunga Nunes and Ruth Rocha. She received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 2000 for her "lasti ...
# ''Vacant'' #
Joaquim Falcão Joaquim de Arruda Falcão Neto is a Brazilian scholar and writer. He was born on September 10, 1943, in Rio de Janeiro, the son of Maria de Lourdes Saldanha de Arruda Falcão and Corintho de Arruda Falcão. He holds a PhD in Education from the Uni ...
# Carlos Nejar #
José Murilo de Carvalho José Murilo de Carvalho (8 September 1939 – 13 August 2023) was a Brazilian historian. He obtained his PhD in political science from Stanford University, defending a thesis on the Brazilian Empire. He was professor emeritus at the Federal Univ ...
#
Cícero Sandroni Cícero Augusto Ribeiro Sandroni (born February 26, 1935) is a Brazilian journalist. Early life Sandroniwas born in the city of São Paulo, on February 26, 1935, the son of Ranieri Sandroni and Alzira Ribeiro Sandroni (both born in Guaxupé, Mi ...
#
Cacá Diegues Carlos Diegues, also known as Cacá Diegues (born May 19, 1940), is a Brazilian film director. He was born in Maceió, Alagoas, and is best known as a member of the Cinema Novo movement. He is popularly known for his unconventional, yet intriguing ...
#
Cleonice Berardinelli Cleonice Serôa da Motta Berardinelli (28 August 1916 – 31 January 2023) was a Brazilian academic. Berardinelli was born in Rio de Janeiro on 28 August 1916, to Emídio Serôa da Motta and Rosina Coutinho Serôa da Motta. Her father was in the ...
# Alberto da Costa e Silva # Rosiska Darcy # Ignácio de Loyola Brandão # Paulo Niemeyer Filho #
Sérgio Paulo Rouanet Sérgio Paulo Rouanet (23 February 1934 – 3 July 2022) was a Brazilian diplomat, philosopher, essayist, and scholar. He was the national Secretary of Culture between 1991 and 1992, and in his tenure he created the ''Lei de Incentivo à Cultu ...
#
Celso Lafer Celso Lafer (born August 7, 1941) is a Brazilian jurist, full professor of Philosophy of Law at University of São Paulo, twice former foreign minister and a former commerce minister. He is of Lithuanian Jewish heritage. Education Lafer has a Ba ...
# Marco Lucchesi # ''Vacant'' #
Fernanda Montenegro Arlette Pinheiro Esteves Torres ONM (née da Silva; born 16 October 1929), known by her stage name Fernanda Montenegro ( /feʁˈnɐ̃dɐ mõtʃiˈnegɾu/), is a Brazilian stage, television and film actress. Considered by many the greatest Brazi ...
#
Arnaldo Niskier Arnaldo Niskier is a Brazilian scholar. He was born in Rio de Janeiro in April 1935. He is the seventh occupant of Chair nº 18 at the Academia Brasileira, to which he was elected on March 22, 1984, succeeding Peregrino Júnior. He was received o ...
#
Antônio Carlos Secchin Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ...
#
Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Minister of Culture in the administration ...
#
Paulo Coelho Paulo Coelho de Souza (, ; born 24 August 1947) is a Brazilian lyricist and novelist and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters since 2002. His novel ''The Alchemist'' became an international best-seller and he has published 28 more book ...
#
João Almino João Almino is a Brazilian novelist. He is the author of ''The Brasília Quintet'', which consists of the novels ''Ideas on Where to Spend the End of the World'', ''Samba-Enredo'', ''The Five Seasons of Love'' (first published in Portuguese by E ...
# Antônio Torres #
Geraldo Carneiro Geraldo Eduardo Ribeiro Carneiro is a Brazilians, Brazilian poet, lyricist and screenwriter for television, theater and cinema. He was born in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, on June 11, 1952. He began to express interest in art at a young age, inf ...
# Alberto Venancio Filho #
Marcos Vilaça Marcos may refer to: People with the given name ''Marcos'' *Marcos (given name) Sports ;Surnamed * Dayton Marcos, Negro league baseball team from Dayton, Ohio (early twentieth-century) * Dimitris Markos, Greek footballer * Nélson Marcos, Portugue ...
#
Antonio Cícero Antonio is a masculine given name of Etruscan origin deriving from the root name Antonius. It is a common name among Romance language-speaking populations as well as the Balkans and Lusophone Africa. It has been among the top 400 most popular ...
# Domício Proença Filho # Geraldo Holanda Cavalcanti #
Nélida Piñon Nélida Piñon Nélida Piñon (3 May 1937 – 17 December 2022) was a Brazilian author and professor. At the time of her death, Piñon was "considered among the foremost writers in Brazil today". Life Piñon was born in 1937 in Rio de Janeiro. He ...
#
Merval Pereira Merval Pereira is a Brazilian journalist, political columnist and commentator for O Globo, CBN News The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is an American Christian media production and distribution organization. Founded in 1960 by Pat Roberts ...
# Zuenir Ventura #
Evanildo Bechara Evanildo Cavalcante Bechara is a Brazilian scholar. He was born in Recife on February 26, 1928. He was orphaned at an early age, and moved to Rio de Janeiro in order to complete his education, staying at the home of a great uncle. From an early ag ...
#
Evaldo Cabral de Mello Evaldo Cabral de Mello (Recife, January 20, 1936) is a Brazilian historian, history writer and former diplomat, considered to be one of the most important Brazilian historians of the twentieth century. Biography Evaldo Cabral de Mello was born ...
# ''Vacant'' #
Fernando Henrique Cardoso Fernando Henrique Cardoso (; born 18 June 1931), also known by his initials FHC (), is a Brazilian sociologist, professor and politician who served as the 34th president of Brazil from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2002. He was the first Brazi ...
#
Arno Wehling Arno Wehling was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro, son of Eugen Horst Theodor Wehling and Helena Wehling, born in Düsseldorf and Florianópolis, respectively. He is married to professor and historian Maria José Cavalleiro de Macedo Wehli ...
#
José Sarney José Sarney de Araújo Costa (; born José Ribamar Ferreira de Araújo Costa; 24 April 1930) is a Brazilian politician, lawyer, and writer who served as 31st president of Brazil from 1985 to 1990. He briefly served as the 20th vice president o ...
#
José Paulo Cavalcanti Filho José Paulo Cavalcanti Filho (born May 21, 1948) is a Brazilian lawyer and writer. He graduated from the Recife Faculty of Law. He was secretary general of the Ministry of Justice and (interim) Minister of Justice, under former president José Sar ...
#
Edmar Bacha Edmar Lisboa Bacha ( February 14, 1942) is a Brazilian economist. Biography He was born in Lambari, Minas Gerais, on February 14, 1942. He studied at the João Braulio Junior School Group in Lambari and the Colégio Santo Antônio in Belo ...


Gallery of the Immortals

*
Machado de Assis Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (), often known by his surnames as Machado de Assis, ''Machado,'' or ''Bruxo do Cosme Velho''Vainfas, p. 505. (21 June 1839 – 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short stor ...
*
Jorge Amado Jorge Leal Amado de Faria (10 August 1912 – 6 August 2001) was a Brazilian writer of the modernist school. He remains the best known of modern Brazilian writers, with his work having been translated into some 49 languages and popularized in ...
* José Guilherme Merquior *
Tobias Barreto Tobias Barreto de Meneses (June 7, 1839 – June 26, 1889) was a Brazilian poet, philosopher, jurist and literary critic. He is famous for creating the " Condorism" and revolutionizing Brazilian Romanticism and poetry. He is patron of the 38th cha ...
*
Zélia Gattai Zélia Gattai Amado de Faria (July 2, 1916 – May 17, 2008) was a Brazilian photographer, memoirist, novelist and author of children's literature, as well as a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. Gattai wrote 14 different literary works, ...


See also

* List of members of the Brazilian Academy of Letters *
Lisbon Academy of Sciences The Lisbon Academy of Sciences ( pt, Academia das Ciências de Lisboa) is Portugal's national academy dedicated to the advancement of sciences and learning, with the goal of promoting academic progress and prosperity in Portugal. It is one of Po ...
**
Academia das Ciências de Lisboa, Classe de Letras The Class of Letters (Portuguese: ''Classe de Letras'') of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences holds an official consultative role on the Portuguese language in Portugal. It was created by the queen Maria I of Portugal, on 24 December 1779, during th ...


References


External links


Academia Brasileira de Letras
{{Authority control Portuguese language academies Brazilian literature Academy of Letters Organizations established in 1896 1896 establishments in Brazil Organisations based in Rio de Janeiro (city) Language regulators