Modern and rococo in an elite residence

analyzing Eufrásia Teixeira Leite’s dilemmas through her interior decoration choices and artwork possessions during the Belle Époque (1898-1930)

Resumo

This paper maps some artworks and personal objects from the collection of Brazilian investor Eufrásia Teixeira Leite (1850-1930) as indicators of her taste and perspective as a liberal woman during the Belle Époque. The main sources are the postmortem inventory of her hôtel particulier in Paris, auction sales catalogs, and magazines, which were grouped with secondary sources, including specialized literature. This set of documents was analyzed under a qualitative approach, following the premises of documentary analysis. Among a vast list of possessions, furniture, tapestry, and valuable objects are highlighted as the main elements of a preliminary activity as an art collector and the connection of this practice with other sides of her life. The presence and distribution of the objects in her home allow us to interpret Eufrásia as a conservative woman with classical taste, with a focus on 18th century rococo, but with dilemmas concerning the traditional role of the bourgeois woman, especially about family and work practices.