Os construtores anônimos e suas contribuições para a arquitetura aracajuana (1920-1950)

Abstract

This work aims to study anonymous builders and other manual laborers connected to the construction industry in the city of Aracaju, who have been historically erased between the years 1920 and 1950, highlighting the contributions of these service providers to the local heritage development. The chosen focus of this study is the contribution of these professionals due to their active participation in the aesthetic modernization of the capital of Sergipe state. Whether in public or private buildings, various constructions were shaped by the hands of masons, carpenters, painters, visual artists, and even unlicensed designers who contributed with their craftsmanship. Through this research, we intend to uncover who these individuals were and why academic literature forgot about them despite their significant contributions, leading them to be marginalized from historiography. Our methodological approach is based on interdisciplinary studies and documentary analysis, drawing from periodicals, architectural projects from the studied period, and judicial processes, which aided in identifying these individuals. Initially, we will delve into the erasure of these manual laborers and the strategies they employed by forming the “Centro Operário Sergipano” (Sergipe Workers Center) and fighting against the abuses inflicted by their employers on their employees. Subsequently, we will discuss the architectural aspects of Aracaju, including the regulations for construction, while identifying some builders and their respective works. Furthermore, we reflect on the importance of the “Escola de Aprendizes Artífices de Sergipe” (Sergipe School of Artisan Apprentices) as a training ground for artist craftsmen and the influence of European immigrants on the local workforce.