20th Century and Contemporary, Design, Latin American Studies

Mid-century Brazilian visionary Robert Burle Marx: a gallery of images

“With the publication of a lavish monograph, ROBERTO ­BURLE MARX: Brazilian Modernist (Jewish Museum / Yale University, $50), the work of this great midcentury landscape architect, who invented the modernist tropical garden, will become better known.”

–Dominique Browning in the Sunday, June 5th issue of the New York Times Book Review

We couldn’t agree more.  And to that end, we’re delighted to share a gallery of images from the exhibition at the Jewish Museum and accompanying book by Jens Hoffmann and Claudia J. Nahson.

Roberto Burle Marx painting a tablecloth in the loggia of his home, 1980s; the azulejo tile walls and chandelier composed of fruit and flowers on a metal armature are his work. Photograph © Tyba.

Roberto Burle Marx painting a tablecloth in the loggia of his home, 1980s; the azulejo tile walls and chandelier composed of fruit and flowers on a metal armature are his work.
Photograph © Tyba.

Roberto Burle Marx (Brazilian, 1909–1994), tablecloth, 1989, acrylic on cotton, 63 x 217 ½ in. (160 x 552 cm). Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro. Image provided by Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro.

Roberto Burle Marx (Brazilian, 1909–1994), tablecloth, 1989, acrylic on cotton, 63 x 217 ½ in. (160 x 552 cm). Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro.
Image provided by Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro.

Roberto Burle Marx (Brazilian, 1909–1994), design for a mineral roof garden, Banco Safra headquarters, São Paulo, 1983, gouache on paper, 31 ¾ x 39 ¼ in. (80.6 x 99.7 cm). Burle Marx & Cia. Ltda., Rio de Janeiro. © Burle Marx Landscape Design Studio, Rio de Janeiro. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. Photograph by Cesar Barreto.

Roberto Burle Marx (Brazilian, 1909–1994), design for a mineral roof garden, Banco Safra headquarters, São Paulo, 1983, gouache on paper, 31 ¾ x 39 ¼ in. (80.6 x 99.7 cm). Burle Marx & Cia. Ltda., Rio de Janeiro.
© Burle Marx Landscape Design Studio, Rio de Janeiro. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. Photograph by Cesar Barreto.

Roberto Burle Marx, mineral roof garden, Banco Safra headquarters, São Paulo, 1983 Photograph © Leonardo Finotti.

Roberto Burle Marx, mineral roof garden, Banco Safra headquarters, São Paulo, 1983
Photograph © Leonardo Finotti.

Roberto Burle Marx, design for the Minister’s Rooftop Garden, Ministry of Education and Health, Rio de Janeiro, 1938, gouache on paper, 20 ½ x 41 ⅜ in. (52.1 x 105.1 cm). Burle Marx Landscape Design Studio, Rio de Janeiro. © Burle Marx Landscape Design Studio Rio de Janeiro. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved.

Roberto Burle Marx, design for the Minister’s Rooftop Garden, Ministry of Education and Health, Rio de Janeiro, 1938, gouache on paper, 20 ½ x 41 ⅜ in. (52.1 x 105.1 cm). Burle Marx Landscape Design Studio, Rio de Janeiro.
© Burle Marx Landscape Design Studio Rio de Janeiro. Reproduced with permission. All rights reserved.

Maquette for the Ministry of Education and Health, Rio de Janeiro, 1937–42. Architects: Lúcio Costa, Carlos Leão, Jorge Machado Moreira, Oscar Niemeyer, Affonso Reidy, Ernani Vasconcelos; Le Corbusier, consultant. Gardens by Roberto Burle Marx. Plastic and wood, 18¾ x 24½ × 28½ in. (47.6 × 62.2 × 72.4 cm). Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of the Ministry of Education and Health. Used with permission by Casa de Lúcio Costa, image provided by The Museum of Modern Art / Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, New York.

Maquette for the Ministry of Education and Health, Rio de Janeiro, 1937–42. Architects: Lúcio Costa, Carlos Leão, Jorge Machado Moreira, Oscar Niemeyer, Affonso Reidy, Ernani Vasconcelos; Le Corbusier, consultant. Gardens by Roberto Burle Marx. Plastic and wood, 18¾ x 24½ × 28½ in. (47.6 × 62.2 × 72.4 cm). Museum of Modern Art, New York, Gift of the Ministry of Education and Health.
Used with permission by Casa de Lúcio Costa, image provided by The Museum of Modern Art / Licensed by SCALA / Art Resource, New York.

The spectacular gardens of the Sítio Roberto Burle Marx preserve the artist’s original paintings. Photograph © Malcolm Raggett.

The spectacular gardens of the Sítio Roberto Burle Marx preserve the artist’s original paintings.
Photograph © Malcolm Raggett.

Gardens of the Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro, with stonework erected in the late 1970s using repurposed blocks from demolished buildings. Photograph © Malcolm Raggett.

Gardens of the Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, Rio de Janeiro, with stonework erected in the late 1970s using repurposed blocks from demolished buildings.
Photograph © Malcolm Raggett.


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