Orpheu Nº2 Revista Trimestral de Literatura

Violante Cisneiros

1891–1971

A literary voice tied to Portugal’s modernist circle, this name appeared in the landmark magazine Orpheu—but it was actually a creative persona used by the Azorean writer Armando Côrtes-Rodrigues. The work linked to it offers a fascinating glimpse of experimentation, disguise, and collaboration in early 20th-century literature.

Eduardo Guimarães

1892–1928

A central voice in Brazilian Symbolism, this poet, translator, and journalist wrote with musical language, melancholy, and unusual delicacy. His work also reached Portugal through the landmark magazine Orpheu, linking him to a wider modern literary world.

Raul de Oliveira Sousa Leal

1886–1964

A singular voice in Portuguese modernism, this Lisbon-born writer mixed poetry, essays, and occult thought in work that often challenged the moral boundaries of his time. He is especially remembered for his connection to the avant-garde magazine Orpheu and for the controversy surrounding Sodoma Divinizada.

A vivid and unusual voice in Portuguese poetry, he is remembered as a contributor to the modernist magazine Orpheu and for work that feels intense, musical, and strikingly original. His life was marked by hardship and long periods of psychiatric institutionalization, which have become part of the story surrounding his writing.

Luís de Montalvor

1891–1947

A key early voice in Portuguese modernism, this poet and editor helped launch the landmark magazine Orpheu and shaped the literary energy around it. Writing under a pseudonym, he became closely linked with the bold, restless spirit of a new generation.

Fernando Pessoa

1888–1935

A master of literary reinvention, this Portuguese modernist wrote in multiple invented voices, each with its own style and worldview. His work helped carry Portuguese poetry into the heart of 20th-century European literature.

Mário de Sá-Carneiro

1890–1916

A brilliant, restless voice of Portuguese modernism, he wrote poetry and fiction charged with dreamlike intensity, identity, and inner conflict. His career lasted only a few years, but his work left a lasting mark on 20th-century literature.