The lecture What metal letters tell us: the Tércio Ferdinando Gaudêncio typographic collection is part of the 2026 program of Meeting with Research, held by the Paulista Museum of USP. The presentation will be given by the professor and researcher Fabio Mariano Cruz Pereira. In his lecture, he discusses the Gaudêncio typographic collection to present the history of printing workshops, printing with movable type, and visual communication in São Paulo during the 20th century.
This activity proposes looking at metal letters, ornaments, and other graphic materials as historical objects. These artifacts help to understand how texts were produced before digital printing, how printing professionals worked, and how typography contributed to the circulation of information in the city.
During the lecture, topics such as the invention of letterpress printing, the expansion of the use of movable type from Gutenberg onwards, and the transition from artisanal graphic arts to industrial production will be addressed. The audience will also learn about aspects of the Tércio Ferdinando Gaudêncio collection, such as the origin of the pieces, the shape of the letters, the ornaments, and the marks of use left by the work in the workshops.
The lecture discusses what can be reflected upon from these artifacts regarding the daily lives of those who composed, printed, and circulated texts, posters, newspapers, and other printed materials. The aim is to show that metal lettering is a vestige of work methods, technical knowledge, and forms of communication that helped build the visual landscape of São Paulo.
In an increasingly digital world, observing these objects allows us to reflect on what changes when graphic production ceases to depend on direct contact with materials such as metal, paper, ink, and printing presses. The activity also highlights the role of the Museu Paulista in preserving these vestiges and disseminating Brazilian graphic heritage.
The meeting will be led by Fabio Mariano Cruz Pereira, graphic designer, PhD from FAU USP/IUAV, professor at UNIFEI and researcher of the Gaudêncio collection in postdoctoral studies at the Museu Paulista.
This meeting is part of the second year of the "Encounter with Research" cycle, coordinated by Ana Paula Nascimento, a professor at the Museu Paulista. The activity features lectures by researchers who share investigations developed from the Museum's collections and reflect on the role of research in the construction of historical narratives.
In-person lecture
Date: June 27, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: from 2 PM to 6 PM
Workload: 4 hours
Job openings: 200
Location: Auditorium of the Ipiranga Museum
Accessibility: sign language interpreter
Free registration: from 6/5 to 23/6 in this link
