Alberto Santos Dumont agrees to be photographed with a mysterious woman and a child.
- Original and unpublished photograph representing Alberto Santos Dumont with a woman and a girl.
- 8.2 cm x 10.9 cm.
- No information about exact date (1930s) and location.
- Excellent condition of conservation.
- Unique piece.
In this photograph, everyone recognizes the characteristic silhouette of the elderly aviator, but who are this woman and this child who are not identified as being someone "special" (family member, friend, etc.)? Where did they meet and when?
It's the game, sometimes we discover documents that we know are rare or unique - apparently there is no record of this photograph - but they remain mysterious.
What we can assume is that the three people met at a site, based on the vegetation and the wooden structure, perhaps in the mountains, considering what appears to be fog. It could be the train platform located in front of the house at Fazenda Cabangu, where Santos=Dumont was born, then in the municipality of Palmira, today Santos Dumont (MG). It could also be in Guaruja, in the garden in front of Pitangueiras beach, in 1932, shortly before Santos Dumont's death. The Iguaçu Falls are another hypothesis. A collector also suggested the mountain city of Petrópolis, where the "A Encantada" (Enchanted) house is located.
They are well dressed, perhaps for a social event. The trio seems to know each other well, given the proximity of their bodies. The child is probably the woman's daughter, given the features on her face. Perhaps she is Santos Dumont's sister. In any case, the inventor was famous and people always wanted a photo with him.
Something unusual in this photo is a black, tube-shaped object placed on the floor to the left of the aviator: what is it? It reminds me a lot of the hard leather cases often used in Rio Grande do Sul as a set for chimarrão. It could also be a spyglass or a modest handbag (in profile), where Alberto carried his belongings.
Private photographs of great historical figures are always interesting, as they allow us to learn a little more about the lives of these illustrious people, with whom they lived for a few moments or for longer periods. This photograph, in perfect condition, draws attention to the elegance and seriousness of the three characters, an unprecedented witness to the life of Santos Dumont and the 1920s.
