COMMEMORAÇÃO DO CENTENARIO DA INDEPENDENCIA DO BRASIL / INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION RIO DE JANEIRO. 1922.
44x30 inches, 111 3/4x76 1/4 cm. Pimenta de Mello & Cia, Rio. Condition A-: minor expert restoration at edges; vertical and horizontal folds; colors attenuated.
In the years after the First World War, Brazil wrestled with its national identity. Brazil had been the only Latin American country to be actively involved with the war effort on behalf of the Allies, had a seat at the Paris Peace Conference and was a founding member of the League of Nations. Back home, strikes, military unrest and ultimately a revolt, were all taking place simultaneously as the country set out to celebrate its 100th anniversary by hosting one of the first Universal Exhibitions (World's Fairs) after the war. Oswald was an Italian-born artist who moved to Brazil in 1906. In 1910, the Brazilian government asked him to design the Music Room for Brazil's pavilion at the Turin World's Fair. He may be best known as the artist who helped design the mighty and monumental "Christ the Redeemer" statue standing above Rio de Janeiro, on Corcovado mountain. Although most well-known for his religious work, this rare poster of maidens parading the flags of the world in front of the buildings of the exhibition, displays Oswald's ability as a graphic designer as well as his familiarity with the universal graphic language of patriotism. We could find no other copies at auction.
