I know that sometimes it feels almost impossible to find reliable information on Brazilian Modern Design. So, I thought I’d share a selection of books that are really helpful if you’re looking to start exploring this field. The best part: most of them are bilingual. So, even if you don’t speak Portuguese, you can still dive into the English sections.
1. Móvel Moderno no Brasil – Maria Cecília Loschiavo dos Santos
If you’re just starting, this is the book. It gives an overview of Brazilian design history — from the very beginning to the key moments that shaped modernism, and of course, the designers who defined the era. It’s a fantastic introduction, almost like a map that shows you the main names and gives you small but valuable snippets of their work. This book is a bilingual edition still available at Editora Olhares website.
2. Joaquim Tenreiro: Madeira, Arte e Design – João Fortes Engenharia
Organized by Ascanio MMM and Ronaldo do Rego Macedo, this was one of the first publications dedicated to Joaquim Tenreiro’s work. It features an enlightening interview in which Tenreiro himself talks about his early years as a designer, his process and the evolution of his career until retirement.
This book is a primary source for anyone who wants to understand Tenreiro’s ideas and philosophy in his own words, this is a rare and valuable insight into how he thought about design, art & craftsmanship. Unfortunately, this book is only available second-hand and exclusively in Portuguese.
3. Joaquim Tenreiro – Soraia Cals
Edited by Soraia Cals in the 1990s, this beautifully well illustrated book serves almost like a guide to Tenreiro’s production with valuable information including some from “Joaquim Tenreiro: Madeira, Arte e Design” book. It’s showcases a selection of his most iconic pieces, as well as unique bespoke furniture created for private clients, some of which can only be found within these pages. This is an essential complementary book to the first one, offering a richer visual understanding of his work. The book was published in both Portuguese and English, though both editions are now only available second-hand. The English version is especially rare to find.
4. Lina Bo Bardi – Instituto Lina Bo Bardi
This publication, released by Instituto Lina Bo Bardi, is one of the first books organised about her work and includes essays, project documentation, and photographs of her most emblematic creations, including her furniture production. It presents her work as a whole highlighting her design thinking, exhibition concepts, and her approach to Brazilian culture as a living, democratic process and reflecting Lina’s belief that design should serve people, not the elite, making it an important reference for anyone interested in understanding her philosophy and influence on Brazilian modern design. This book was organised by Marcelo Ferraz (who worked with Lina for many years), Marcelo Suzuki and André Wainer and it’s primarily in Portuguese, still available at Instituto Bardi website.
5. Lina Bo Bardi: Designer – O Mobiliário dos Tempos Pioneiros 1947-1958
Written by Sergio Campos (and one of the titles I had the pleasure to collaborate on), this book dives into Lina’s early furniture designs, created during the 1940s and 1950s, including MASP, Casa de Vidro, Studio de Arte Palma, Casa Valeria Cirell, etc. This book brings a detailed look at how her furniture reflected both European modernism and Brazilian vernacular influences in details and the materials chosen by her like wood, straw, and glass turned into timeless forms. Through research, images, and technical documentation, the book helps readers grasp the context of Lina’s creative process and her belief that furniture should adapt to life, not the other way around. It’s a book completely dedicated to her furniture design production, with important information being published for the first time. For those passionate about her pieces, this book is a valuable guide through her early production. This book is available in Portuguese and English.
6. Giuseppe Scapinelli 1950: O designer da emoção – Sérgio Campos
Another work by Sérgio Campos (that I also had the pleasure to collaborate with), this book focuses on the Italian-born designer Giuseppe Scapinelli, one of the key figures in Brazilian modern furniture. Known for his sculptural lines and refined sense of proportion, Scapinelli’s work stood out in the 1950s for its sensual curves and emotional approach to modernism, often expressed through the use of rich woods such as caviuna.
Scapinelli’s creations built a bridge between European elegance and Brazilian warmth. His work was less about industrial production and more about craftsmanship, he designed many exclusive pieces for private clients, making each work unique. The book brings together archival images, catalogues, and photographs from private collections, revealing the sophistication and sensuality that define Scapinelli’s timeless style. This is the only book available about his work and it’s can just be found second-hand, it’s a bilingual edition.
7. Sérgio Rodrigues – Icatu
This book is a celebration of Sergio Rodrigues’ life and work published by Icatu. It’s a richly illustrated edition that traces his path from early experiments to his mature designs, including iconic pieces like the “Poltrona Mole” and he’s production for the capital of Brazil in the 1960’s. This book is not only a guide to Rodrigues work but also a tribute, featuring essays and interviews that show his deep connection with Brazilian identity, woodcraft & comfort. A must-have for anyone who wants to understand how Rodrigues helped define Brazilian modern design. The book also includes a furniture index with many of his most important furniture across his sex-decade career. Available in both English & Portuguese edition but can only be found second-hand.
8. Jorge Zalszupin: Design Moderno no Brasil – Maria Cecilia Loschiavo dos Santos
Written by one of the most respected researchers of Brazilian design, Maria Cecilia Loschiavo dos Santos (who also wrote the first book in this selection) this book is an essential reference about Jorge Zalszupin’s work. It traces his journey from Poland to Brazil and how he shaped modern furniture through L’Atelier, his design and production company. The book explores Zalszupin’s precision, innovation in materials, and refined craftsmanship. Beautifully written and with a generous visual selection of his work. The bilingual edition is available second-hand on the market.
9. Percival Lafer: Design, Industria e Mercado – Jayme Vargas
This book by Jayme Vargas maps Percival Lafer’s trajectory in design, highlighting his inventive approach and his unique balance between design and industrial production. It features interviews, archival images, and detailed information about his most emblematic pieces.
The book shows how Lafer helped make modern design accessible to a wider audience — without sacrificing quality or creativity. A fascinating look into a designer who shaped everyday Brazilian life through comfort, functionality, and style.
This is the first and only book available about Percival Lafer, published as a bilingual edition and now found only second-hand on the market.
10. Jean Gillon: Artista-Designer – Graça Bueno
Edited by Graça Bueno, an important gallerist of Brazilian modern design, this book offers a delicate and comprehensive portrait of Jean Gillon. Rich in images, the book tries to bring together Gillon’s many facets: furniture & interior design, his work for export, and his other artistic practices such as sculpture, painting, and scenography.
It highlights his distinctive mix of craftsmanship and comfort, visible in pieces like the Jangada armchair, one of his most well known creations. Through documents and rare photographs, the book captures his humanistic view of design, that one that values emotion, texture, and storytelling as much as form. This Portuguese-English edition is only available second-hand.
This is just a short selection of good books to start learning about Brazilian modern design, for some designers, there are other books available about their life & work, while for others, like Scapinelli, Lafer, and Gillon, for example, these are the very first publications ever dedicated to them. These books are carefully based on primary and period sources.
There are also many names I haven’t included here yet (don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about Oscar Niemeyer, Zanine Caldas, or Carlo Hauner), I’ll cover them in a second part. Unfortunately, most of these titles are only available second-hand, but if you manage to find one, it’s absolutely worth it. They’re valuable sources of knowledge that help deepen your understanding of our modern heritage.
The good news is that Editora Olhares has been doing an incredible job publishing new books in this field, and many titles are available directly on their website. I’m not sure if they deliver worldwide, but it’s worth checking with them. If you’d like some more information or need help finding where to start, feel free to send me a message, I’ll be happy to help. Good reading!
Varela Advisory 