THE GERALDO PARREIRAS COLLECTION:

ORIGINS, DEVELOPMENT AND THE CENTRAL ROLE OF SACRED ART AT THE MUSEU MINEIRO

Abstract

The objective of this article is to recover, albeit in a preliminary manner, the existing documentation held by the Directorate of Museums of the Secretariat of Culture and Tourism of the State of Minas Gerais, as well as journalistic and local sources, with the aim of deepening the understanding of the figure of the collector Geraldo Parreiras and the formation of his collection, up until its acquisition by the State of Minas Gerais to become part of the Museu Mineiro's holdings. Geraldo Parreiras's collection of sacred art, assembled in Minas Gerais, began in 1950 and was developed over 13 years through visits to the regions of Sabará, Caeté, Santa Bárbara, and São João del-Rei. It had already achieved national recognition before being acquired by the Government of the State of Minas Gerais in 1976, after the collector's death, to constitute the initial collection of the Museu Mineiro. This recognition is evidenced by documentation found in the Museu Mineiro, which sheds light on the collector's life, the formation and trajectory of the collection, and highlights the involvement of prominent cultural figures of the time who engaged with the collection. It is concluded that the Geraldo Parreiras Collection already held a well-established place within the cultural landscape of Minas Gerais, which served as a foundation for the museological treatment and public dissemination it received after 1982, with the inauguration of the Museu Mineiro.