Chrysanthème

The pseudonym of Maria Cecília Bandeira de Melo Vasconcelos, Chrysanthème is one of the best-kept gems of Brazilian literature. One of the leading names in women’s writing at the beginning of the 20th century, and a pioneer of feminist causes, the author published more than twenty books, none of which, as far as we know, have been reprinted. In her day, however, Chrysanthème was a public figure, particularly for her chronicles in the press. Among her books was A infante Carlota Joaquina (1937), in which she sought to challenge the traditional portrayal of the Luso-Brazilian queen as a shrew. She married at 19, had a son and was widowed at 38, in 1907, when, prompted by her mother, she gave impetus to her literary career.