Joanna Brandt: a Danish woman in Rio de Janeiro in the first half of the 20th century and the professionalization of the decorative arts

Abstract

The article highlights the work of the Danish artist Joanna Brandt in Rio de Janeiro between 1900’s and 1930’s, possibly as the first professional artist-decorator in Brazil's capital at the time, seeking to evaluate her strategies, analyze her work, and discuss the role of women in the applied arts and, even though considered minor arts, their contribution to the construction of possible modernities.  The research mainly used newspapers and magazines from the period from the Brazilian National Library, since no preserved works by Brandt were found in public collections, but which attest to her versatility and professionalism in the decorative arts.