In October, 1947, Assis Chateaubriand opened São Paulo Museum of Art (Masp - Museu de Arte de São Paulo), a result of an adventure of two revolutionary-minded people and supported by a group of friends.

Founder and owner of Diários e Emissoras Associados, together with Professor Pietro Maria Bardi, journalist and art reviewer in Italy, who had just arrived from Italy, Chateaubriand created the most impressive collection in Southern Hemisphere. This lucky meeting put Brazil in the same level as other countries in the world of arts.

This long-time project was successful and collected funds to acquire masterpieces for museum’s collection.

Italian modernist architect Lina Bo, Professor Bardi’s wife, designed Masp’s building as it is today. This land on Paulista Avenue had been given to municipality, but view over downtown, as well as Serra da Cantareira, had to be kept. That is why she planned a building supported by four columns, so that people walking around could view downtown.  It is the only building in the world with its main body supported by four side columns letting a 74-meter free area.
 
Masp houses an art gallery, library, photography museum, cinemateque, videoteque, art courses and educational service for exhibitions, film, concerts. That is why MASP is the first excellent cultural center in Brazil.
The museum houses Italian painters, like Rafael, Andrea Mategna, Botticelli and Bellini; Flemish painters Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Cranach and Memling and Spanish Velázquez and Goya.

Most of European art collection is French painting. We can appreciate four portraits of Louis XV’s daughters, by Nattier, or Delacroix’s four season allegories. Impressionism Renoir, Manet, Monet, Cézanne and Degas and Post Impressionism Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec have their painting represented here.

There is an area for the complete Edgar Degas’ sculpture collection, 73 bronze pieces; this collection is only fully seen in museums like Metropolitan, in New York and D'Orsay Museum, in Paris.

Created to be a dynamic cultural center-styled area, there is always something new for the most frequent visitor. Masp organizes temporary exhibitions in different special areas, approaching the most varied subjects and supports. Brazilian and international exhibitions of contemporary arts, photography, design and architecture take turn during the whole year, showing a universe of image.

Masp also organizes music projects, cinema and lectures. Two auditoriums, both designed by Lina, are for this purpose.

Service:
Museu de Artes de São Paulo (Masp)
Avenida Paulista, 1.578 - Cerqueira César - downtown - São Paulo (Trianon-Masp subway station)
Tel.: (11) 3251-5644
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Site: www.masp.art.br
Time: Tuesday to Sunday and holidays: 11:00 am to 06:00 pm. Thursday - 11:00 am to 08:00 pm
Price: R$15 and R$ 7 (concession for students presenting ID and elderly  people).Free for children under 10 and people over 60

Image Gallery