Escola de Belas Artes (School of Fine Arts) is one of the centers of the

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro or University of Brazil (UFRJ; pt, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro or ') is a public research university located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the largest federal university in the ...

and dates back to colonial times. A royal letter of Nov 20 1800 by

John VI of Portugal Dom John VI (Portuguese: ''João VI''; 13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826), nicknamed "the Clement", was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1825. Although the United Kingdom of Portugal ceased to exist ' ...

established the ''Aula Prática de Desenho e Figura'' in

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 ...

. It was the first institution in Brazil systematically dedicated to teaching the arts. During colonial times, the arts were mainly of religious or utilitarian nature and were learnt in a system of

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...

. The Decree of Aug 12, 1816 created the ''Escola Real de Ciências, Artes e Ofícios'' (Royal School of Sciences, Arts and Crafts), which established an official education in the fine arts. Then it was renamed as the ''Academia Imperial de Belas Artes'' (

Imperial Academy of Fine Arts The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, was an art academy in Saint Petersburg, founded in 1757 by the founder of the Imperial Moscow University Ivan Shuvalov under the name ''Academy of the Thre ...

), instituting a system of artistic education that would greatly influence the development of Brazilian art. On Nov 8 1890, the old Imperial Academy was transformed into the ''Escola Nacional de Belas Artes'' (National School of Fine Arts). In 1931, the School joined the University of Rio de Janeiro, the current

Notable students

* Artur Barrio (1945- ), conceptual artist *

Affonso Eduardo Reidy Affonso Eduardo Reidy (Paris, 26 October 1909 - Rio de Janeiro, 10 August 1964) was a Brazilian architect. He was the son of an English father and a Brazilian mother. Reidy entered the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes in Rio de Janeiro at age 17. ...

(1909-1964), architect * Arthur Timótheo da Costa (1882– 1922),

Afro-Brazilian Afro-Brazilians ( pt, afro-brasileiros; ) are Brazilians who have predominantly African ancestry (see " preto"). Most members of another group of people, multiracial Brazilians or ''pardos'', may also have a range of degree of African ancestry. ...

painter *

Lúcio Costa Lúcio Marçal Ferreira Ribeiro Lima Costa (27 February 1902 – 13 June 1998) was a Brazilian architect and urban planner, best known for his plan for Brasília. Career Costa was born in Toulon, France, the son of Brazilian parents. His fath ...

(1902-1998), Brazilian architect and urban planner * Rubens Gerchman (1942-2008), painter and sculptor *

Oswaldo Goeldi Oswaldo Goeldi (31 October 1895 – 16 February 1961) was a Brazilian artist and renowned engraver. He was the son of Swiss naturalist Émil Goeldi. Goeldi was born in Rio de Janeiro, but lived in Belém, in the state Pará, until he was 6 ...

(1895-1961), artist and engraver * Anna Maria Maiolino (1942- ), Italian plastic artist * Burle Marx (1909-1994), landscape architect *

Victor Meirelles Victor Meirelles de Lima (18 August 1832 – 22 February 1903) was a Brazilian painter and teacher who is best known for his works relating to his nation's culture and history. From humble origins, his talent was soon recognized, being admitted as ...

(1832-1903), painter *

Ismael Nery Ismael Nery (October 9, 1900 – April 6, 1934) was a Brazilian artist. Biography Background Born in Belém, Pará, of Dutch, Native-Brazilian, and African ancestry, he studied at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (National School of Fine ...

(1900-1934), poet and painter *

Oscar Niemeyer Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was ...

(1907-2012), architect * Lygia Pape (1927-2004), sculpture, engraving, and filmmaking *

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. Portinar ...

(1903-1962), painter * Franz Weissmann (1911-2005), Austrian sculptor

External links

Escola de Belas Artes
(School of Fine Arts of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro) *

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro 1816 establishments in Brazil Arts organizations established in the 1810s {{Brazil-university-stub