MASP

Through drawing, the observation of daily life and an emphasis on social customs, Emiliano Di Cavalcanti began his career in the 1910s as a newspaper illustrator and caricaturist. He was among the organizers of the 1922 Modern Art Week, developing its visual style and the catalog cover, and participating in the creation of a modern graphic language — which can also be seen in how he signed his work during this period. The following year he moved to Paris to work as a foreign correspondent for the daily newspaper Correio da Manhã. During his time in France he was exposed to avant-garde European artistic movements, such as Art Deco. Di Cavalcanti drew inspiration from the movement, including from drawings stylized through an elegant geometrization of scenes and subjects. In Mulheres década de 20 [1920s Women] (undated), the painter portrays two women wearing clothing typical of the time. There is a clear influence of geometrical decoration and graphic illustration in how Di Cavalcanti depicted the women’s hair, scarves and gloves. Their slanted eyes, in addition to the interplay of different skin tones, seems to anticipate elements Di Cavalcanti would later use in Cinco moças de Guaratinguetá [Five Girls of Guaratinguetá] (1930), held in MASP’s collection, and considered one of his masterpieces. In addition to Mulheres década de 20, this painting also was also known by the title Elegância [Elegance].

— Guilherme Giufrida, assistant curator, MASP, 2018

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