This is the most complete iconographic record of the Afro-Brazilian rites of Candomblé, with watercolor illustrations by the Argentine visual artist who lived for many years in Bahia, Héctor Julio Páride Bernabó (1911–97). As an artist, this painter was known as Carybé. His graphic work and paintings are distinguished by the minute detail that documents many aspects of the people’s culture in the state of Bahia (in Northeast Brazil). Because the artist himself was an initiate in Candomblé, his drawings are particularly rich in detail, which makes us aware of his deep knowledge of the religious themes. It is unquestionable that all this confers a double value on the art produced by Carybé, which is both artistic and ethnographic.
[As supplementary reading, see the following texts in the ICAA digital archive: by Raul Lody “Coleção Arthur Ramos” (doc. no. 1110525), “Coleção culto afro-brasileiro: um documento do candomblé na cidade do Salvador” (doc. no. 1110527), “Coleção culto afro-brasileiro: um testemunho do Xangô pernambucano” (doc. no. 1110526), “Dezoito esculturas antropomorfas de orixás” (doc. no. 1110529), “Símbolo do mando” (doc. no. 1110531), and “Yorubá: um estudo etno-tecnológico de 50 peças da coleção arte africana do Museu Nacional de Belas-Artes” (doc. no. 1110532). In addition, see by Abelardo Duarte “Catálogo ilustrado da Coleção Perseverança” (doc. no. 1110522); by Carlos Eugênio Marcondes de Moura “Religiosidade africana no Brasil; Arte afro-brasilidade” (doc. no. 1110519); by Maria Lúcia Montes “Cosmologias e altares” (doc. no. 1110528); by Luiz Felipe de Alencastro “Geopolítica da mestiçagem” (doc. no. 1111371); from the Museu Histórico Nacional “Para nunca esquecer. Negras memórias. Memórias de negros” (doc. no. 1110530); by Jocélio Teles dos Santos “Catálogo do Museu Afro Brasileiro = Catalogue of the Afro-Brazilian Museum” (doc. no. 1110521); by Vagner Gonçalves da Silva “Arte religiosa afro-brasileira. As múltiplas estéticas da devoção brasileira” (doc. no. 1110520); by Oneyda Alvarenga “Catálogo ilustrado do Museu Folclórico” (doc. no. 1110523); and by Rita Amaral “A coleção etnográfica de cultura religiosa afro-brasileira do Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia da Universidade de São Paulo” (doc. no. 1110533)].