Explore Black History

February 2019

An artbook of Contos dos Orixás by Hugo Canuto printed in color on paper with 28 pages.The contents of the book contain the 16 art pieces of the Orishas collection, plus sketches and concepts of Tales of Orishas comic book.
The title of the art book is printed in white text within a red textbox at the top of the cover, [CONTOS DOS / ORIXÁS]. To the left of the title in the same red textbox is a stamp-like emblem with a white background and underneath is a small blue textbox with black text [14 / NOV]. There is a small, vertical box to the left; it depicts three figures and at the bottom in yellow text it reads [ÉBÓRÁ / COMICS].
The front cover depicts an image of four figures, one whose back is to the viewer and three facing forward, against a white backdrop and purple ground. The back-turned figure is wearing a red helmet with white horns and a red bracelet. Only their head, right shoulder, and right hand are visible. The three facing forwards are Orixás,the Portuguese word for deities/ancestors of the Afro-Brazilian religions Candomblé and Umbanda, in a defensive stance. From left to right, they are Ògún (Ogun or Ogum), dressed only in presumably a yellow straw skirt wrapped in a blue cloth and red buckle around his waist and blue arm bands while handling two different swords on each hand. In the middle is Iansã (Oy) in a red dress and orange wrist cuffs, wielding a machete in her left hand. On the right is Xangô (Shango) dressed in red attire and cuffs while wielding a short handled, double-sided ax on his right hand, which is summoning his power and surrounding him in yellow; his eyes are glowing yellow. At the bottom left corner is a red textbox with white text [ARTBOOK / VOLUME 01 / HUGO CANUTO].
Opening the cover, the title page has red text at the centered on the top [CONTOS DOS / ORIXÁS / ARTBOOK – VOLUME 01]. Underneath this text, a lightning bolt is hand drawn in a black pen and signed below by the author [Hugo Canuto]. Printed in the center is a circular, colorful emblem, with an orange outer ring with various symbols in black; in the center is a variety of blue hues with a yellow and black gourd in the center.
At the very bottom of the title page is black text [Em um tempo antigo, deuses e heróis caminharam entre os homens. Travaram batalhas com furor, / ensinaram a curar e lidar com a terra, o ferro e o fogo, reinaram e amaram com a mesma intensidade. / Alguns desceram do luminoso Orum para realizar seus destinos, outros nasceram no Aiyê e por seus / feitos foram elevados a Orixás. E assim, marcaram para sempre a história de dois continentes.” / Contos dos Orixás, o Machado e o Trovão] or in English, “In an ancient time, deities and heroes walked among men. They fought battles with fury, taught how to deal with ashe, the energy of creation, the land, the iron and the fire. They reigned and loved with great intensity. Some descended from the luminous Orun, to fulfill their destiny, others were born in the Aiye and through their deeds became Orishas. And so, they marked forever the history of two continents. / Tales of the Orishas, the Ax and the Thunder.” This is followed by the introductory page.
The back cover of the artbook is divided into three horizontal panels. The top panel has a black background with white text, [A ideia de produzir o Artbook surgiu durante nossa campanha de / financiemento coletivo no site Catarse, como recompense adicional para / celebrar o alcance do projeto, apoiado por cerca de 850 pessoas. Esse livro / representa um gesto de gratidão ao público, que entendeu nossos objetivos de / buscar, através dos mitos e lendas ligados aos Orixás, apresentar um aspect / dessa cultura, dentro da linguagem e estética das histórias em Quadrinhos. / Obrigado!] or in English “The idea to produce an Artbook came during our collecting funding campaign on the Catarse website, as an additional reward to celebrate the project’s reach, supported by nearly 850 people. This book represents a gesture of gratitude to the public, who understood our objectives of seeing, through the myths and legends linked to the Orishas, to present an aspect of this culture, within the language and aesthetics of comic books. Thank you!.”
The middle panel depicts a colorful printed drawing of Olodumarê (Olorum, Olórun or Olorun) amid creating the material and spiritual world. Olodumarê is standing off center with their hands raised up as various bright colors clash together. The bottom panel has a black background with white [WWW.CONTOSDOSORIXAS.COM / FACEBOOK – CONTOS DOS ORIXÁS].
There are no inscriptions on the front cover or back cover.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Books and Published Materials

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2021.45.3.1

comic books

© 2019 Hugo Canuto
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

ink on paper

H x W: 10 1/4 × 6 11/16 in. (26 × 17 cm)

Title • Contos dos Orixás Artbook Vol. 01

nmaahc_2021.45.3.1

NMAAHC

CONTOS DOS ORIXÁS ARTBOOK VOL. 01

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

2010s

South America • West Africa • Brazil • Latin America

African diaspora • Spirituality • Art • Religion • Comics and graphic novels • Multilingual communication

African Americans • Africans

Country • Brazil • Region • Latin America • Continent • South America • Region • West Africa • Continent • Africa

Images

Use Restricted