Invisible, intangible and irretrievable: the paintings of the Quinta da Boa Vista National Museum

Abstract

The notion of vulnerability in the arts unquestionably encompasses artistic production conceived in situations of fragility, be it due to its location – both geographically and socially – or to economic neglect. The National Museum at Quinta da Boa Vista had a large number of paintings in its collection, but they were never given the deserved attention within the institution. These lesser-known works were lost entirely in the fire that destroyed the museum in 2018, which prompted us to question its status as a vulnerable collection, even though it is located in one of Brazil's leading cultural facilities. Even though the museum was one the oldest institutions in the country, its institutional autonomy was severely compromised since it belonged to the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). The museum's resources were shared with other museums at the same institution, and, as with Brazilian Federal universities, they were restricted to the Ministry of Education's budget. Even though it was a major museum in one of Brazil's most important capitals, its situation could not have been more vulnerable.