Bulletin of Hispanic Studies

Eduardo Gageiro's Happy-Sad City: Humanist Street Photography and Lisboa no Cais da Memória

Bulletin of Hispanic Studies (2011), 88, (4), 481–494.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3828/bhs.2011.21
Language
English
Pages
14

Abstract

This article analyses Eduardo Gageiro's representation of post-war, pre-revolution Lisbon society in the light of French humanist street photography. It is argued that Gageiro's images closely fit what Peter Hamilton called the 'representational paradigm' of this stream of street photography, and that, by comparing the photographs in Cais da Memória to this thematic grid, we can establish the parameters of its depiction of the city under Salazar. One of the criticisms levelled at French humanist street photography is that it creates a rosy, nostalgia-tinted vision of the recent, yet vastly different, past. While there is an element of Gageiro's work that could be dismissed as twee, any sentimentalilty is counterbalanced by a frontal depiction of the problems of the latter Estado Novo period. In addition, by bearing witness to the positive qualities of this past, Cais da Memória also permits an interrogation of the nature of the present and its difference from historical conditions.

Este artigo debruça-se sobre Lisboa no Cais da Memória de Eduardo Gageiro, focandose na análise – à luz da fotografia da rua humanista Francesa – da representação feita do período entre o desfecho da II guerra e o fim da ditadura. Sustenta-se que as imagens contidas se assemelham àquilo que Peter Hamilton chamou de 'paradigma representacional' da fotografia de rua francesa e que, ao compará-las a este paradigma, podemos traçar os parâmetros da imagem da época construída em Lisboa no Cais da Memória. Faz-se amiúde a crítica que a fotografia da rua humanista Francesa representa o passado recente de forma idealista. Embora exista um traço de sentimentalismo na obra de Gageiro, esta faceta é equilibrada pelo engajamento frontal com as condições vigentes em Lisboa sob o regime Salazarista. Dentro do contexto das imagens, o saudosismo que provoca Lisboa no Cais da Memória pode servir para interrogar não só as qualidades do passado mas também a natureza do presente e a sua distância de condições já históricas.

Access Token

FormatArticle

£25.00
READ THIS ARTICLE
References
Full Text
PDF
If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Barthes, Roland,1977. 'The Photographic Message', in Image, Music, Text, trans. Stephen Heath (London: Fontana Press), pp. 15–31. The Photographic Message Image, Music, Text 15 31 Google Scholar

Brougher, Kerry, and Russell Ferguson,2001. Open City: Street Photography Since 1950 (Oxford: Museum of Modern Arts, with the Hatje Publishers). Open City: Street Photography Since 1950 Google Scholar

Certeau, Michel de,2003. The Practice of Everyday Life, trans. Stephen Rendall (Los Angeles: University of California Press). The Practice of Everyday Life Google Scholar

Gageiro, Eduardo,2003. Lisboa no Cais da Memória 1957–1974 (Lisbon: Edição de Autor). Lisboa no Cais da Memória 1957–1974 Google Scholar

Gageiro, Eduardo, and José Cardoso Pires,1971. Gentes (Lisbon: Editorial O Século). Gentes Google Scholar

Gomes, Adelino, 2003. 'A inacreditável Lisboa de recentes eras', in Publico Sábado, unpaginated online edition, available online at http://www.publico.pt Google Scholar

Hamilton, Peter,1995a. Robert Doisneau: A Photographer's Life (New York and London: Abbeville Press). Robert Doisneau: A Photographer's Life Google Scholar

Hamilton, Peter,1995b. Willy Ronis: Photographs, 1926–1995 (Oxford: Museum of Modern Art). Willy Ronis: Photographs, 1926–1995 Google Scholar

Hamilton, Peter,1997. 'France and Frenchness in Post-war French Humanist Photography', in Representation: Cultural Representation and Signifying Practices, ed. S. Hall (Milton Keynes: Open University), pp. 75–150. France and Frenchness in Post-war French Humanist Photography Representation: Cultural Representation and Signifying Practices 75 150 Google Scholar

Lobo, Paula, 2004. 'Cinco Décadas de Portugal em Negativo', in Diário de Notícias, unpaginated online edition, available online at http//:www.dn.pt Google Scholar

Palla, Victor, and Costa Martins,1959. Lisboa Cidade Triste e Alegre (Lisbon: Self-published). Lisboa Cidade Triste e Alegre Google Scholar

Parr, Martin, and Gerry Badger,2004. The Photobook: Volume One (London: Phaidon Press). The Photobook: Volume One Google Scholar

Santos Lopes, Pedro,1992. 'Coimbra, tradição e desporto nos anos 50: a questão do 40.900', in Ideologia, cultura e mentalidade do Estato Novo: ensaios sobre a Universidade de Coimbra, intro. and ed. L. Reis Torgal (Coimbra: Faculdade de Letras), pp. 130–45. Google Scholar

Scott, Clive,2007. Street Photography: From Atget to Cartier-Bresson (London and New York: I. B. Tauris). Street Photography: From Atget to Cartier-Bresson Google Scholar

Stallabras, Julian,2002. Paris Pictured: Street Photography 1900–1968 (London: Royal Academy). Paris Pictured: Street Photography 1900–1968 Google Scholar

Valdemar, António, 2003. 'A Lisboa de Gageiro e Nossa', in Diário de Noticias, unpaginated online edition, available at http//:www.dn.pt Google Scholar

Vieira, Joaquim,2001. Portugal Século XX: Crónica em Imagens 40-50-60 (Lisbon: Círculo de Leitores). Portugal Século XX: Crónica em Imagens 40-50-60 Google Scholar

Westerbeck, Colin, and Joel Meyerowitz,1994. Bystander: A History of Street Photography (London: Thames and Hudson). Bystander: A History of Street Photography Google Scholar

If you have private access to this content, please log in with your username and password here

Details

Author details

Castro, Paul Melo e