Roberto Burle Marx and the Use of Tiles in Modern Brazilian Architecture

Abstract

This article systematically examines the career of Brazilian artist Roberto Burle Marx (1909–1994) as a muralist through his use of ceramic tiles. This career is situated within the context of Brazilian modernism, in which Burle Marx was a leading figure. It provides the necessary background to contextualize this creative journey, both from a historical perspective—referring to traditions inherited from the period of Portuguese colonization—and through more recent experiences, particularly the rise of neocolonial architecture in the early decades of the 20th century, which incorporated the tile as an emblematic element. The emergence of modern tile factories and companies such as Osirarte in 1940 fostered a muralist movement within which Burle Marx would become a central figure in Brazil, though he would also receive commissions in other countries across the Americas. Initially, figurative and abstract approaches converged in his work. This latter trait, through geometric rigor—characteristic of Brazilian concretism—and biomorphic designs, would exclusively define his work from the 1950s until his death.