Ernesto do Canto Faria e Maia, born in Ponta Delgada, Azores, in May 1890,
best known by his artistic name, Canto da Maia or Canto da Maya, was a sculptor who, at
his time, reached a high rank amongst his pears, nationally and
internationally. He stands to be an introducer of the 'figurative modernism' and a patron of the decorative arts.
Initially he was a
follower of Art Déco, but later on
this tendency gave way to a nationalist academic one. Although still keeping
some modernist bond his works started revealing a strong, ideological presence,
visibly influenced by the definition of the ‘colonial heroes breed’ which was
promoted by “Estado Novo”.
Grupo Escultórico
D.Manuel I com Vasco da Gama e Pedro Álvares Cabral- com 3 m de altura), de 1940, reviewed by the art critics as the best sculptural work exhibited at the
great 1940 “Exposição do Mundo Português”.
By 1920, Canto da
Maya sets off to Paris where he stays until 1937 and during this period he
partakes numerous exhibitions such as the Paris 1925 International
Decorative Arts Exhibition where
he is awarded a gold medal for two of his works: «A Virgem e o Menino» e «A
Virgem Louco». He was also part of the group of artists present at the
Contemporary French Art Exhibition which took place in 1926, in Osaka, Tokyo.
At this point he
produced mainly decorative works which reveal his urban and cosmopolitan Art Déco
taste and simultaneously an interest for the so called ‘the private life’.
From this period we
find works such as. Bendito o fruto do vosso ventre (1922) ....
...or Adão e Eva (1929)
Ernesto da Maya led a full life. He is known as the “Portuguese sculptor
of the Silence”. Canto da Maya passed away in 1981, at the age of 90, in his
hometown, Ponta Delgada, in Azores.
We can find some of
his work at Museu Nacional do Azulejo... Eva
... or just the
road from the our university campus to the Campo Grande Gardens!
... Mulher ao Espelho
Have a stroll down
and Check it out!
Ana Tomaz
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