Brazilian photojournalism icon Gervásio Baptista dies.
Photographer Gervásio Baptista died this Friday (5) around 8 am in Brasília, at the age of 96. The information was confirmed by his son Júlio Baptista; Gervásio Baptista worked at Agência Brasil for about three decades; in 2018, he was awarded the Ranulpho Oliveira Medal, from the Bahian Press Association, intended for the biggest names in journalism who worked in the press in Bahia.
Conjur - Photographer Gervásio Baptista died this Friday (April 5th) around 8 am in Brasília, at the age of 96. The information was confirmed by his son Júlio Baptista.
An icon of Brazilian photojournalism, Gervásio captured with his lens the famous photo of Juscelino Kubitschek waving his top hat to the people at the inauguration of Brasília on April 21, 1960.
The family is awaiting the arrival of Gervásio's daughter, Selma Baptista, who was in Madrid, to finalize details regarding the wake. The ceremony is expected to take place in the federal capital, at the Campo da Esperança Cemetery. Afterwards, the body will be cremated and the ashes will be taken to Rio de Janeiro to be scattered in Guanabara Bay.
"He expressed in life that we should do the same procedures we did with my mother," the son recounted. "It still hasn't sunk in. Even though I've been preparing for so, so long. I heard him say he was tired, that he really wanted to leave. You think you're prepared, but when it happens, you realize you weren't."
Gervásio Baptista worked at Agência Brasil for about three decades. In 2018, he was awarded the Ranulpho Oliveira Medal by the Bahia Press Association, given to the most prominent names in journalism who worked in the Bahia press. (Information from Agência Brasil.)