The Geração de Orpheu (Orpheus's Generation) or Grupo de Orfeu were a Portuguese literary movement, largely responsible for the introduction of

Modernism Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

to the arts and letters of

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

through their tri-monthly publication, ' (1915). Following the lead of other European vanguard movements of the early twentieth century, and inspired by the

Futurist Futurists (also known as futurologists, prospectivists, foresight practitioners and horizon scanners) are people whose specialty or interest is futurology or the attempt to systematically explore predictions and possibilities abo ...

Vladimir Maiakovsky's urgings, the poets

Fernando Pessoa Fernando António Nogueira Pessoa (; 13 June 1888 – 30 November 1935) was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publisher, and philosopher, described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and ...

, Mário de Sá-Carneiro and

Almada Negreiros José Sobral de Almada Negreiros (7 April 1893 – 15 June 1970) was a Portuguese artist. He was born in the colony of Portuguese São Tomé and Príncipe, the son of a Portuguese father, António Lobo de Almada Negreiros, and a Santomean mother ...

, and the painters

Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso (14 November 1887 – 25 October 1918) was a Portuguese painter. Belonging to the first generation of Portuguese modernist painters, Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso stands out among all of them for the exceptional quality of h ...

and Guilherme de Santa-Rita formed a journal of art and literature based in Lisbon's Baixa district, with the principal aim of agitating, subverting and scandalizing the Portuguese bourgeoisie and social conventions.

''Orpheu''

The journal was named ''Orpheu'' after the Greek mythological character

Orpheus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with J ...

, the musician who had to travel from the world of the living without looking back to save his wife

Eurydice Eurydice (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυδίκη 'wide justice') was a character in Greek mythology and the Auloniad wife of Orpheus, who tried to bring her back from the dead with his enchanting music. Etymology Several meanings for the na ...

from

Hades Hades (; grc-gre, ᾍδης, Háidēs; ), in the ancient Greek religion and myth, is the god of the dead and the king of the underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea, although this also ...

. This metaphor inspired the Geração de Orpheu, who aspired to not look back, to relinquish the past and focus on the future for the "edification of Portugal in the twentieth century". After emerging onto the Portuguese literary scene in 1915, the journal folded due to financial insolvency, when the father of Mário de Sá-Carneiro refused to continue sponsoring it. Only two issues were published (Jan-Feb-Mar and Apr-May-Jun, 1915). The third issue of ''Orpheu'', already in printing proof, was lost for many years and until it was recovered and published in 1984.''Orpheu 3'', preparação do texto, introdução e cronologia de Arnaldo Saraiva. Lisboa: Edições Ática, 1984.

After ''Orpheu''

After the dissolution of ''Orpheu'', the group continued to publish in other literary journals. In 1917, ''Portugal Futurista'' came out with reproductions of

Santa-Rita Pintor Santa-Rita Pintor, born Guilherme Augusto Cau da Costa de Santa-Rita (18891918), was a Portuguese Futurist painter, known for his eccentricities, which included his signature mode of dressing: work clothes with striped rectangles. Life He firs ...

and Souza-Cardoso, along with the posthumous Futurist poems of Sá-Carneiro and some poetry by Fernando Pessoa and his heteronym

Álvaro de Campos Álvaro de Campos (; October 15, 1890 – November 30, 1935) was one of the poet Fernando Pessoa's various heteronyms, widely known by his powerful and wrathful writing style. According to his author, this ''alter ego'' was born in Tavira, Portu ...

. Among the journals that published contributions from the Grupo were: ''Exílio'' (1916), ''Centauro'' (1916), ''Portugal Futurista'' (1917), ''Athena'' (1924–1925) and ''Presença'' (1927–1940).

Prominent members of the movement

, painter *

, writer / visual artist / choreographer * Ângelo de Lima, writer *

António Ferro António Joaquim Tavares Ferro (17 August 1895, Lisbon - 11 November 1956, Lisbon) was a Portuguese writer, journalist and politician, associated with the Estado Novo. Biography In 1915, when he was barely 19, his friend, Mário de Sá Carneir ...

, writer *

, writer * Mário Saa, writer * Mário de Sá-Carneiro, writer *

, painter

References

Bibliography

* AA.VV. (1989). ''ORPHEU'', edição facsimilada. Lisboa: Contexto Editora. * SARAIVA, António José and Óscar Lopes (1993). ''História da Literatura Portuguesa''. Porto: Porto Editora, 17th ed. * MARTINS, Fernando Cabral (coord.) (2008). ''Dicionário de Fernando Pessoa e do Modernismo Português''. Alfragide: Editorial Caminho.

External links

Portuguese National Library

''Orpheu'' at the Portuguese National Library

''Orpheu'' Nº1 at Gutenberg Project

''Orpheu'' Nº2 at Gutenberg Project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Geracao De Orpheu 20th century in Portugal Modernism