Vitrines da modernidade: simbolismo de ornamentos em edificações ecléticas na Cidade da Parahyba, Brasil

The incursion of eclecticism in Brazil during the First Republic (1889-1930) coincides with an urban modernization project that contemplates building façades with ornaments of various designs. Since investigations about eclectic architecture in the City of Parahyba (now João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil) are scarce, this essay examines the morpho-symbolic attributesof façade ornaments on two eclectic buildings located in its Historic Center: Tribunal de Justiça and Loja Maçônica Branca Dias. To accomplish this, the socio-cultural context of Parahyba is investigated, and the respective façades are photographed and redrawn for ornamentalanalysis. Results indicate that while motifs on Loja Maçônica Branca Dias allude to Ancient Egyptian legends revered by Freemasonry, those on Tribunalde Justiça commit to aesthetics rather than symbolism, aiming for the refinement envisaged by the modernizing project. Ornaments on the buildings' frontages thus endorse the socio-cultural context framed by republican ideals, transforming them into showcases of the new modern urban imaginary.