The city of Rio underwent major re-structuring towards the beginning of the 20th Century, including port reforms, the construction of new roads and colossal architectural developments - During this period, journalists, novelists, poets and thinkers heralded Rio de Janeiro as their theme, showering it with expressive, celebrative and symbolic language, continually shaping and re-shaping it in the consciousness of its inhabitants.

The city therefore, in many ways, underwent two concurrent forms of transformation - the physical demolitions, construction and re-structuring of the land and its inhabitants, and the conceptual configuration that was taking place at the hands of its writers, the former led by political leaders and the latter by intellectuals.