1957 Storni Pictorial Bird's-Eye View of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Cidade Maravilhosa.

This is a c. 1957 pictorial bird's-eye view of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, drawn by illustrator Oswaldo Storni. It appeared in the publication Guia turístico do Rio de Janeiro e seus arredores, which accompanies it. The view was issued during Rio's golden age of fast-paced development and population growth.

A Closer Look

The view is oriented towards the southwest, covering an area between the Pão de Açúcar and the Quinta da Boa Vista, containing the city's zoo and the National Museum of Brazil. The famous Christ the Redeemer statue atop the Corcovado appears near the top center. Major roads, railways, shipping lines, and landmarks such as the Aeroporto Santos Dumont are labeled throughout, while 41 additional sites are marked with numbers and listed in an index below. The view gives a sense of the dramatic peaks, several of which are labeled, within and surrounding the city.

The guidebook also contains a foldout map of the Distrito Federal, including Rio de Janeiro. This district was relocated soon afterward (1960) to the planned capital of Brasilia, in the country's central highlands. In all, the guidebook totals 143 pages with text in English, French, German, and Italian in addition to Portuguese, reflecting the cosmopolitan character of Rio.

Historical Context

The 1950s were something of a golden age and certainly eventful for Rio de Janeiro. At the start of the decade, the city hosted the FIFA World Cup, which led to the construction of the colossal Maracanã stadium. However, Brazil was upset by Uruguay in the competition's decisive match, known as the Maracanãço. Rio was internationally renowned at this time for its wealthier beachfront neighborhoods, including Copacabana and Ipanema, and for the luxurious Copacabana Palace hotel. These neighborhoods also gave birth to the Bossa Nova genre of music around this time, epitomizing the city's laid-back, stylish culture. Economic growth was impressive in these years, drawing in thousands of migrants and expanding the city beyond its traditional boundaries. However, the inability to accommodate this sudden influx led to the growth of impoverished favelas that still exist today. The city was also the scene of major political dramas, especially the suicide of President Getúlio Vargas and the aforementioned relocation of the capital to Brasilia.

Publication History and Census

This view was drawn by illustrator Oswaldo Storni for the guidebook Guia turístico do Rio de Janeiro e seus arredores, which, though undated, was likely published around the year 1957. The guidebook is cataloged among the holdings of seven institutions in the OCLC.

Cartographer

Oswaldo Storni (1909 - 1972) was a Brazilian artist and illustrator best known for his drawings appearing in children's literature, particularly a 1949 Portuguese translation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. His father, Alfredo Storni, was a celebrated caricaturist and comic strip illustrator in the early 20th century. The younger Storni followed in his father's footsteps, producing illustrations for the long-running weekly children's magazine O Tico-Tico. In addition to Alice in Wonderland, Oswaldo Stori also illustrated translations of several other children's classics like Robinson Crusoe as well as works by Brazilian authors.   Further Details...

Condition

Very good. Mended tear at insertion point.

References

OCLC 17132902 (guidebook).