Di Cavalcanti

Di Cavalcanti (Rio de Janeiro RJ 1897 – idem 1976)

Di Cavalcanti was a painter, illustrator, caricaturist, printmaker, muralist, draftsman, journalist, writer, and set designer. Born on Rua do Riachuelo in downtown Rio de Janeiro, in a house that once belonged to the abolitionist José Carlos do Patrocínio (1853–1905), Di Cavalcanti grew up surrounded by prominent intellectuals such as Joaquim Nabuco, Olavo Bilac, and Machado de Assis.

He recounted: “In my early childhood, I was influenced by Joaquim Nabuco, Olavo Bilac, Machado de Assis, and many other intellectuals who frequented my uncle’s house.”

Di Cavalcanti began his painting studies at the age of eleven with the landscape artist Gaspar Puga Garcia. In 1911, Puga Garcia’s suicide, following an accusation of plagiarism, profoundly affected the young artist. In 1914, after the death of his father, Di Cavalcanti embarked on his professional career as an illustrator for the magazine Fon-Fon, a publication devoted to social and political critique through caricature.

He enrolled in the Faculty of Law of Rio de Janeiro in 1916 but left in 1922 to devote himself entirely to illustration. During the 1910s and 1930s, Di Cavalcanti split his time between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, holding his first solo exhibition of caricatures in 1917 at Livraria O Livro in São Paulo.

He was one of the main organizers and visionaries behind the 1922 Modern Art Week, a pivotal event in the history of Brazilian modernism. Held at the Theatro Municipal of São Paulo, the Modern Art Week broke with traditional conventions and marked the consolidation of a new artistic and cultural movement in the country.

Influenced by both nationalist and internationalist ideas, Di Cavalcanti drew inspiration from Marinette Lebrun, wife of Paulo Prado, to create an event that combined art, music, and fashion, in the style of the Deauville seasons in France. The success of Modern Art Week established Di Cavalcanti as one of the leading figures of 20th-century Brazilian art.

He made his first trip to Europe between 1923 and 1925, settling in Paris, where he exhibited his works across various European capitals. His training in the graphic arts led him to study at the Académie de Paul-Élie Ranson, the French post-impressionist painter and founder of the Nabis movement. At the academy, Di Cavalcanti mastered the simplification of line and color, concepts that would profoundly influence his artistic production.

During his time in Europe, Di Cavalcanti engaged with the artistic avant-gardes of the period, absorbing innovations from masters such as Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Léger, and De Chirico. However, the Picasso he encountered at the Ranson Academy was the Picasso of the Rappel à l’Ordre, the transitional phase from Cubism to a more classical painting, according to the poet Jean Cocteau. This experience was crucial for Di Cavalcanti, who reinterpreted these influences through a nationalist and popular lens, creating a unique artistic language within Brazilian modernism.

He was immersed in post-World War I Europe, a continent rebuilding after the devastating consequences of the conflict. During this period, the Rappel à l’Ordre movement gained prominence, advocating a return to classical forms. The movement encouraged avant-garde artists to draw inspiration from classical prototypes, addressing the cultural and social reconstruction Europe required.

Di Cavalcanti and other artists of this movement began painting monumental figures, evoking ancient Greek and Roman prototypes. Yet these works were not strictly classical; they incorporated unconventional and often turbulent movements, reflecting the complexity of the historical moment.

Di Cavalcanti described the impact of his Paris experience with great intensity: “…Paris left an imprint on my mind. It was as if it had created a new nature within me, and my love for Europe transformed my love for life into a love for all that is civilized. And as a civilized person, I began to understand my own land.” He also highlighted two pivotal moments: “…two events marked my life: I met Picasso and witnessed the funeral ceremonies of Lenin.”

With an expanding circle of friends in Paris, including Cocteau, Blaise, Matisse, and Erik Satie, Di Cavalcanti found himself immersed in a vibrant artistic and intellectual environment. Yet the revolution of 1924 and the closure of Correio da Manhã, where he was a correspondent, marked the end of a chapter. In 1925, Di Cavalcanti returned to Brazil.

Throughout his career, Di Cavalcanti participated in numerous group exhibitions, national and international salons, and was imprisoned several times for political reasons. In 1935, he returned to Europe for five years, further exploring the influences of the avant-garde and modernism.

Di Cavalcanti became renowned for portraying popular Brazilian themes, especially scenes of urban life, samba, carnival, folk festivals, and tropical sensuality. His works engage with European Expressionism and Cubism but acquire a distinct identity by celebrating Brazil and its people. Among his major works are: Samba, Músicos, Cinco Moças de Guaratinguetá, Mangue, Pierrot, Pierrette, and the panels of Teatro João Caetano. His compositions are marked by vibrant colors, sinuous forms, and a pulsating atmosphere, with a particular emphasis on the female figure, especially Black and mixed-race women, symbols of Brazilian culture.

In 1940, Di Cavalcanti settled in São Paulo, where he publicly opposed abstractionism through lectures and writings. He continued to exhibit both in Brazil and abroad, always accompanied by women, a recurring feature in his personal life.

In the 1950s, Di Cavalcanti was invited to the I São Paulo Biennial in 1951, although he declined to participate in the Venice Biennale. At the II São Paulo Biennial, he received the award for best Brazilian painter, alongside Alfredo Volpi. During that decade, he exhibited at MAM-RJ, in Montevideo, Venice, and Trieste, and was honored with a Special Room at the Interamerican Biennial in Mexico, where he received the Gold Medal.

Despite the political difficulties following the 1964 coup, which prevented his appointment as cultural attaché in Paris, Di Cavalcanti remained active, publishing new books, designing jewelry for Lucien Joallier, and maintaining a constant artistic presence. In 1966, some of his works lost in the 1940s were recovered from the basement of the Brazilian embassy.

In the 1970s, Di Cavalcanti's muse was the model and actress Marina Montini, and he was honored with a major retrospective at the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art. He received the award from the Brazilian Association of Art Critics and the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the Federal University of Bahia. He celebrated his 75th birthday in Rio de Janeiro, in his apartment at Catete. His painting Cinco Moças de Guaratinguetá was reproduced on a postage stamp, cementing his popular and institutional recognition.

Di Cavalcanti passed away in Rio de Janeiro on October 26, 1976. That same year, the São Paulo City Hall honored him with the creation of Rua Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, located in Vila Regente Feijó – Grajaú. He lay in state in the lobby of the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro and was buried at São João Batista Cemetery. After his death, his posthumous exhibitions continued to attract strong interest, reflecting the well-deserved recognition of his contribution to Brazilian art and the international art scene.

Commented Works

Emiliano Augusto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque e Melo (1897–1976), better known as Di Cavalcanti, is widely remembered for his participation in the Semana de 1922, a pivotal event for Brazilian Modernism. In his own words, he followed the suggestion of Marinette Lebrun da Silva Prado to organize a "Semana" modeled on the events held in the seaside town of Deauville (La Manche). Moreover, Di Cavalcanti is known for his prolific production of images of mulatas, whom he saw as symbols of racial mixing—a central concept in his nationalist vision of Brazil.

From his early portraits of Maria to his more mature works, such as the celebrated painting Samba (1925), Di Cavalcanti demonstrated a profound connection with European avant-garde movements, including Cubism, the “return to order,” and other contemporary trends. His contact with artists like Picasso, Braque, Matisse, Léger, Sironi, and De Chirico resulted in a personal reinterpretation of these influences, yielding a unique approach that was lyrical, nationalist, and distinctly Carioca.

Beyond depicting the human figure in various forms, Di Cavalcanti also explored carnival scenes, brothels, landscapes, and still lifes. However, he did not aim to portray "reality" literally but sought to interpret it through codes, signs, and filters that created a new visual narrative. As he stated himself:

"From the carnival, I drew a love of color, rhythm, and the sensuality of an original Brazil."

A clear example of this approach is the work A Gamboa, which faithfully represents a scene in Rio de Janeiro, with its houses featuring large doors and windows, winding staircases, and people seated on the sidewalks. This depiction evokes the essence of a bygone Rio de Janeiro. The scene is bathed in soft light and a vibrant color palette, hallmarks of Di Cavalcanti’s peak production, particularly during the 1950s, when he celebrated fifty years of his career.

Valerio Pennacchi-Pennacchi, 2004.

Florilegium

Di Cavalcanti’s art has always been guided by freedom. He was among the first artists in Brazil to stand out as a social painter, always rebellious and restless in the face of the conventions of his time. Murilo Mendes, in 1949, described him as a man who, despite appearances, lived in constant intellectual drama, seeking plastic, political, and critical solutions while debating the "Brazilian question" and his own artistic path.

Walmir Ayala (1973) goes further, asserting that Di Cavalcanti was a painter of extroverted, irreverent, and independent sensibility, whose works unsettle viewers by touching on the deepest passions, portraying a Brazil that is vibrant in color, naive, and melancholic simultaneously.

José Roberto Teixeira Leite (1973) also joins these accolades, recognizing Di Cavalcanti as one of the greatest and most original interpreters of Brazilian art. He was a sensual and expressive artist, whose over fifty-year career created visual myths that remain pillars of national art.

For Carlos Zílio (1982), the sensuality in Di Cavalcanti’s work lies not only in the figure of the mulata but in his treatment of color, one of the most striking aspects of his painting. From 1926 onwards, he worked with strong chromatic contrasts while always attentive to the relationship between volume and planes.

Luís Martins (1983) notes Di Cavalcanti’s tendencies toward Fauvism and Expressionism, highlighting that his painting was an instinctive reaction against the artistic banality of his time, a pursuit to break conventions and assert his nonconformity and rebellion.

Jacob Klintowitz reveals that Di Cavalcanti’s drawing reflected his personality, always striving to express his vision of life and creation. The sensuality in his art depended not only on color and composition but also on the line, often more elaborate and baroque.

Finally, Olívio Tavares de Araújo (1998) emphasizes that, despite the phases of his work, Di Cavalcanti will remain one of Brazil’s greatest painters, uniquely capturing the country’s affectionate and sensual essence. His essential humanism and focus on humanity as the subject of his art are the keys to his trajectory.

In homage to him, Vinícius de Moraes (1963) expresses admiration and affection for Di Cavalcanti with the words:

"How wonderful that you exist, painter
In love with the streets
How wonderful that you live, how wonderful that you are
How wonderful that you struggle and create
Poet, the most Carioca
Painter, the most Brazilian
Beloved entity
Of my Rio de Janeiro"

Vinícius de Moraes, 1963

Chronology, Exhibitions, and Awards

1903/1915 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Undertakes first studies at Colégio de Aldéia Noronha and at the Military College
1900/1914 - Lives in the São Cristóvão neighborhood, Rio de Janeiro RJ
1908 - Receives lessons from painter Gaspar Puga Garcia
1914 - Publishes first work as a caricaturist in Revista Fon-Fon
1915 - Illustrates the cover of A Vida Moderna magazine
1916 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 1st Salon of Humorists, at the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios
1916 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Enrolls at the Faculty of Law
1917 - São Paulo SP - Proofreader at O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper
1917/1920 - Lives in São Paulo SP
1917/1976 - Illustrates books by national and international authors, including Álvares de Azevedo, Cassiano Ricardo, Guilherme de Almeida, Horácio Andrade, Jorge Amado, Manuel Bandeira, Mário de Andrade, Mário Mariani, Menotti Del Picchia, Newton Belleza, Oscar Wilde, Oswald de Andrade, Ribeiro Couto, Rosalina Coelho Lisboa, Sérgio Milliet.
1917 - São Paulo SP - Transfers to the Faculty of Law at Largo São Francisco
1917 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti: Caricatures, at the editorial office of A Cigarra magazine
1918 - São Paulo SP - Attends the atelier of Georg Elpons, German painter and professor affiliated with European Impressionism
1918 - São Paulo SP - Artistic director of Panóplia magazine
1918 - São Paulo SP - Joins a group of artists and intellectuals including Oswald de Andrade, Mário de Andrade, Guilherme de Almeida, among others
1919 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti: Paintings, at Casa Editora O Livro
1920/1976 - Lives between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, with frequent stays abroad
1920 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Illustrator for various magazines, including the newly created magazine Guanabara. Uses the pseudonym Urbano as a cartoonist
1920 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti: Caricatures, at Casa Di Franco
1921 - São Paulo SP - Publishes the album Fantoches da Meia-Noite, prefaced by Ribeiro Couto and published by Monteiro Lobato, and illustrates A Balada do Enforcado by Oscar Wilde
1921 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti: Drawings, at Casa Editora O Livro
1922 - São Paulo SP - Leaves law school
1922 - São Paulo SP - One of the creators and organizers of the Modern Art Week. Illustrates the cover of the program and exhibition catalog, held at the Municipal Theatre
1922 - São Paulo SP - Modern Art Week, at the Municipal Theatre
1923/1925 - Settles in Paris as correspondent for Correio da Manhã newspaper, returns to Rio de Janeiro after the newspaper closes during the 1924 Revolution. Interacts with Brecheret, Anita Malfatti, and Sérgio Milliet
1923 - Travels to Italy to study the works of Italian masters such as Titian, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci
1923 - Lives in Montparnasse, France, where he sets up a small studio
1923 - Paris, France - Correspondent for Correio da Manhã (Rio de Janeiro)
1923 - Paris, France - Attends the Ranson Academy
1924 - Paris, France - Encounters avant-garde European works, artists, and writers such as Picasso, Cocteau, Blaise Cendrars, Léger, Unamuno, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, and others
1925 - Returns to Brazil, lives in Rio de Janeiro RJ
1925 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo Exhibition: at Casa Laubisch & Hirt
1926 - São Paulo SP - Illustrates the cover of O Losango Cáqui by Mário de Andrade
1926 - Collaborates as journalist and illustrator at Diário da Noite
1927 - Collaborates as designer for Teatro de Brinquedo, by Eugênia and Álvaro Moreyra
1928 - Joins the Brazilian Communist Party
1929 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Decorates the foyer of Teatro João Caetano
1930 - São Paulo SP - Exhibition at a Modernist House
1930 - New York, USA - The First Representative Collection of Paintings by Brazilian Artists, at the International Art Center, Roerich Museum
1931 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Revolutionary Salon, at Enba
1932 - São Paulo SP - Co-founder of CAM, Clube dos Artistas Modernos, led by Flávio de Carvalho, with participation of Noêmia Mourão, Antonio Gomide, and Carlos Prado
1932 - São Paulo SP - Arrested for three months as a Getulista during the Constitutional Revolution
1932 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti, at A Gazeta
1933 - São Paulo SP - Marries painter Noêmia Mourão, his student
1933 - São Paulo SP - Publishes the album A Realidade Brasileira, a series of twelve drawings satirizing militarism of the era
1933 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Writes an article in Diário Carioca (Oct 15) on the relationship between artistic work and social issues, regarding Tarsila do Amaral’s exhibition
1933 - São Paulo SP - 2nd Modern Art Exhibition of SPAM
1933 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 3rd Pró-Arte Salon, at Enba
1934 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 4th Pró-Arte Salon, at Enba
1934 - Lives in Recife PE
1935 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Member of the editorial committee of the weekly Marcha, alongside Caio Prado Júnior, Carlos Lacerda, Newton Freitas, and Rubem Braga
1935 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Social Art Exhibition at Clube de Cultura Moderna
1935 - Later in the year, for political reasons, takes refuge with his wife Noêmia Mourão and Newton Freitas at Battistelli’s house in Mangaratiba (Battistelli was exiled in Brazil, antifascist, connected to Plínio Melo and Mário Pedrosa)
1937/1940 - Lives in Europe
1937 - Paris, France - International Exhibition of Arts and Techniques, at the Pavilion of the Franco-Brazilian Company - Gold Medal
1938 - Paris, France - Works at radio Diffusion Française on Paris Mondial Portuguese-language broadcasts with Noêmia Mourão
1938 - São Paulo SP - 2nd May Salon, at Esplanada Hotel
1939 - Trip to Spain
1939 - São Paulo SP - 3rd May Salon, at Esplanada Hotel
1940/1941 - Lives in São Paulo SP
1942 - Trip to Montevideo (Uruguay) and Buenos Aires (Argentina)
1944 - Belo Horizonte MG - Modern Art Exhibition at MAP
1946 - Travels to Paris to recover works and paintings abandoned in 1940
1946 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Two poems published in Anthology of Contemporary Brazilian Poets Bissextos, organized by Manuel Bandeira (Ed. Z. Valverde)
1947 - Jury member for painting awards at Grupo dos 19 exhibition, with Anita Malfatti and Lasar Segall
1948 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Emiliano Di Cavalcanti: Retrospective 1918-1948, at IAB/SP
1947 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Exhibition at Galeria Domus
1948 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Retrospective, at Masp
1948/1949 - Returns to Europe for six months
1949/1950 - Trip to Mexico - Participates in the Congress of Intellectuals for Peace, representing the Communist Party
1950 - São Paulo SP - Separates from Noêmia Mourão
1951 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Teaches scenography course at Serviço Nacional de Teatro
1951 - São Paulo SP - 1st São Paulo International Biennial, at MAM/SP - invited artist
1952 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Exhibition of Brazilian Artists, at MAM/RJ
1952 - São Paulo SP - Donates over 550 drawings produced over thirty years to MAM/SP
1952 - São Paulo SP, Rio de Janeiro RJ - Draws cartoons for Última Hora newspaper. At Última Hora RJ, writes the column Preto no Branco and executes five panels for the newsroom
1953 - São Paulo SP - 2nd São Paulo International Biennial, at MAM/SP - award for best national painter, alongside Alfredo Volpi
1954 - São Paulo SP - Designs costumes for the ballet A Lenda do Amor Impossível, performed by the 4th Centenary Ballet Company
1954 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti: Retrospective, at MAM/RJ
1954 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Emiliano Di Cavalcanti: Drawings, at MAM/SP
1955 - Trip to Montevideo (Uruguay) and Buenos Aires (Argentina)
1955 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Invited to create sets and costumes for Villa-Lobos’ ballet As Cirandas, by the Municipal Ballet Company
1955 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Publishes Viagem da Minha Vida: Memórias (Ed. Civilização Brasileira), first memoirs in three volumes: V.1 O Testamento da Alvorada - V.2 O Sol e as Estrelas - V.3 Retrato de Meus Amigos e... dos Outros
1956 - Venice, Italy - 28th Venice Biennale
1956 - Trieste, Italy - Sacred Art Exhibition of Trieste - 1st prize
1958 - Paris, France - Creates cards for tapestries at Palácio da Alvorada (music and reception halls), commissioned by Niemeyer
1958 - Brasília DF - Paints the Way of the Cross for Brasília Cathedral
1959 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 30 Years of Brazilian Art, at Enba
1959 - Receives title of The Patriarch of Modern Brazilian Painting from Carlos Flexa Ribeiro
1960 - Mexico City, Mexico - Creates a panel for the offices of Aviação Real
1960 - Mexico City, Mexico - 2nd Inter-American Biennial of Mexico, at Palacio de Bellas Artes - special room - Gold Medal
1960 - São Paulo SP - Leirner Collection, at Folha Art Gallery
1961 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo Exhibition, at Petite Galeria
1962 - Trip to Paris (France) and Moscow (Russia) - Participates in Peace Congress encouraged by friend Emilio Gustino; soon gifted with his painting Pescadores (1948)
1962 - Córdoba, Argentina - 1st American Art Biennial
1962 - Rabat, Morocco - Exhibition of Brazilian Artists
1963 - Paris, France - Nominated by President João Goulart as Cultural Attaché of Brazil; does not assume position due to 1964 coup
1963 - São Paulo SP - 7th São Paulo International Biennial, Fundação Bienal - special room
1964 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Publishes Reminiscências Líricas de um Perfeito Carioca (Civilização Brasileira) - illustrations and text
1964 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti: 40 Years of Painting, at Galeria Relevo
1964 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - The Nude in Contemporary Art, at Galeria Ibeu Copacabana
1964 - Curitiba PR - 21st Paraná Fine Arts Salon
1964 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Designs jewelry executed by jeweler Lucien
1966 - São Paulo SP - Half a Century of New Art, at MAC/USP - touring
1969 - Illustrates lottery tickets for Federal Lottery draws: Inconfidência Mineira, São João, Independence, and Christmas
1971 - São Paulo SP - Solo Exhibition: Di Cavalcanti Retrospective, at Masp
1971 - São Paulo SP - 11th São Paulo International Biennial, at Fundação Bienal
1971 - Receives ABCA Prize
1972 - São Paulo SP - Arte/Brasil/Hoje: 50 Years Later, at Galeria Collectio
1972 - Lives in Salvador BA
1972 - Salvador BA - Publishes album 7 Xilogravuras de Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, Editora Chile, presentation by Luís Martins
1972 - Receives Moinho Santista Prize
1973 - Salvador BA - Honorary Doctorate, UFBA
1974 - São Paulo SP - Modernist Times, at Masp
1974 - Exhibition of recent works at Bolsa de Arte, Rio de Janeiro
1975 - São Paulo SP - Modernism from 1917 to 1930, at Museu Lasar Segall
1975 - São Paulo SP - SPAM and CAM, at Museu Lasar Segall
1976 - São Paulo SP - City renames Rua 4 in Alto da Mooca to Rua Emiliano Di Cavalcanti
1976 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Di Cavalcanti: Retrospective, at MAM/RJ
1976 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Di Cavalcanti: Retrospective, at MNBA
1976 - São Paulo SP - Salons: Família Artística Paulista, May, and Sindicato dos Artistas Plásticos de São Paulo, at Museu Lasar Segall
1976 - Dies in Rio de Janeiro RJ - October 26
1977 - Glauber Rocha directs the film Di, which receives Special Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival 77
1977 - São Paulo SP - Di Cavalcanti: 100 Works from the Collection, at MAC/USP
1979 - São Paulo SP - 15th São Paulo International Biennial, at Fundação Bienal
1980 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Tribute to Mário Pedrosa, at Galeria Jean Boghici
1982 - São Paulo SP - 80 Years of Brazilian Art, at MAB/Faap
1982 - Salvador BA - Brazilian Art from the Odorico Tavares Collection, at Museu Carlos Costa Pinto
1982 - São Paulo SP - From Modernism to the Biennial, at MAM/SP
1983 - Olinda PE - 2nd Exhibition of the Abelardo Rodrigues Collection of Visual Arts, at MAC/PE
1983 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brazilian Self-Portraits, at Galeria de Arte Banerj
1984 - São Paulo SP - Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection: Portrait and Self-Portrait of Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1984 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - 7th National Fine Arts Salon - Salon of 31
1984 - São Paulo SP - Tradition and Rupture: Synthesis of Brazilian Art and Culture, at Fundação Bienal
1985 - São Paulo SP - 100 Obras Itaú, at Masp
1985 - São Paulo SP - 18th São Paulo International Biennial, at Fundação Bienal
1985 - São Paulo SP - Di Cavalcanti Drawings from MAC Collection, at MAC/USP
1985 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Six Decades of Modern Art from Roberto Marinho Collection, at Paço Imperial
1987 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Between Two Centuries: 20th-Century Brazilian Art in the Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection, at MAM/RJ
1987 - Paris, France - Modernity: 20th-Century Brazilian Art, at Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
1987 - São Paulo SP - The Craft of Art: Painting, at Sesc
1987 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Publishes book of the artist’s letters, Cartas de Amor à Divina / E. Di Cavalcanti, 5th edition, Rio de Janeiro: Cor Editores
1988 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Hedonism: Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection, at Galeria Edifício Gilberto Chateaubriand
1988 - São Paulo SP - Modernity: 20th-Century Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
1989 - Lisbon, Portugal - Six Decades of Brazilian Modern Art: Roberto Marinho Collection, at Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Centro de Arte Moderna
1991 - São Paulo SP - 21st São Paulo International Biennial, at Fundação Bienal
1991 - Santos SP - 3rd National Biennial of Santos, at Centro Cultural Patrícia Galvão
1991 - Belo Horizonte MG, Brasília DF, Curitiba PR, Porto Alegre RS, Recife PE, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Salvador BA, São Paulo SP - Two Portraits of Art, at MAP, Palácio Itamaraty, Fundação Cultural de Curitiba, Margs, Museu do Estado de Pernambuco, MAM/RJ, Museu de Arte da Bahia, MAC/USP
1992 - Paris, France and Seville, Spain - Latin American Artists of the Twentieth Century
1992 - São Paulo SP - Sérgio’s View of Brazilian Art: Drawings and Paintings, at Biblioteca Municipal Mário de Andrade
1992 - São Paulo SP - First Anniversary of Grifo Galeria de Arte
1992 - Zurich, Switzerland - Brasilien: Entdeckung und Selbstentdeckung, at Kunsthaus
1993 - São Paulo SP - 100 Masterpieces from Mário de Andrade Collection: Painting and Sculpture, at IEB/USP
1993 - São Paulo SP - Brazilian Art in the World, a Trajectory: 24 Brazilian artists, at Dan Galeria
1993 - Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brazil: 100 Years of Modern Art, Sérgio Fadel Collection, at MNBA
1993 - Poços de Caldas MG - Mário de Andrade Collection: Modern

Bibliography

“Retrospectiva Di Cavalcanti”; Coordination: Diná Lopes Coelho; MAM-SP, 1971. “Emiliano di Cavalcanti”; Luis Martins and Paulo Mendes de Almeida, Aleksander B. Landau, São Paulo, 1976.

“Critical Dictionary of Painting in Brazil”; José Roberto Teixeira Leite, Artlivre, São Paulo, 1988.

“Di Cavalcanti – 1897-1976”; Ferreira Gullar, Edições Pinakotheke; RJ, 2006.

“Di Cavalcanti, a Perfect Carioca”; Curatorship: Denise Mattar, Consultation: Elisabeth Di Cavalcanti, RJ, 2006[10].