Machado de Assis (1839–1908) was a Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short-story writer, widely regarded as the greatest writer of
Brazilian literature. In 1897, he founded and became the first president of the
Brazilian Academy of Letters. He was
multilingual, having taught himself
French,
English,
German and
Greek later in life. Machado's work shaped the realist movement in Brazil and the birth of the Brazilian republic made Machado become more critical and an observer of the Brazilian society of his time. Generally considered to be Machado's greatest works are
Dom Casmurro (1899),
Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas (
Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas, also translated as
Epitaph of a Small Winner) and
Quincas Borba (also known in English as
Philosopher or Dog?). In 1893, he published "A Missa do Galo" ("Midnight Mass"), often considered to be the greatest short story in Brazilian literature. This photograph of Machado was taken by the Brazilian photographer
Marc Ferrez in 1890.
Photograph credit: Marc Ferrez; restored by Adam Cuerden
