Glossary entry

Portuguese term or phrase:

obra-prima

English translation:

masterpiece

Added to glossary by Scott Hendry Jackson
Jan 21, 2018 14:43
6 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Portuguese term

obra-prima

Portuguese to English Art/Literary Architecture
The text is from a letter written by Le Corbusier to a client, talking about the house he intended to build in Argentina, later known as the "Curutchet House".

I'm aware that the term "obra-prima" can be translated as "masterpiece", though I'm not sure if that's the best term in this context (i.e. the architect explaining about his intentions). The original letter is possible in French or Spanish, but the article I'm translating is in Portuguese. So it might be a translation of a translation.

Please let me know your suggestions.

All the best,

Scott


FULL CONTEXT:

“Tendo estabelecido o Plano de Buenos Aires em 1938-1939 que atualmente está sendo considerado pelo governo, estou interessado na idéia de fazer uma pequena casa doméstica na qual eu gostaria de fazer uma pequena ***obra-prima*** de simplicidade, conveniência e de harmonia, sempre dentro dos limites de uma construção extremamente simples e sem luxos, perfeitamente conformando, por outro lado, com os meus hábitos”

Discussion

Nick Taylor Jan 22, 2018:
@ je ne sais quoi.....remember Austin Powers ergo...
....petit chef d’œuvre de simplicité....
why not maintain the French ... a small "chef d’œuvre" embodying simplicity, convenience and harmony- AS MASTERPIECE SEEMS A LITTLE TOO PRETENTIOUS (IMO)

@Scott I've also found the same text in French: « (…), je suis intéressé à l’idée de réaliser chez vous un petit chef d’œuvre de simplicité, de convenances et d’harmonie tout en restant dans le limite d’une construction extrêmement simple et sans aucun luxe conformément d’ailleurs à mes habitudes» http://upcommons.upc.edu/bitstream/handle/2099/9439/Maqueta_...
@Scott No problem! I do love researching as much as I love translating...
Scott Hendry Jackson (asker) Jan 21, 2018:
Hi Teresea

Thank you very much for the excellent research. I feel a bit lazy now. Cheers, Scott
T o b i a s Jan 21, 2018:
So, Teresa has done the work for you. It even includes the original French (chef d'oeuvre) in the endnote.
@Scott Have you seen this? "I am interested in producing for you a small masterpiece of simplicity, conformity and harmony, all within the limitations of an extremely simple construction with no luxuries, as is typical of my work". Text extracted from:
https://books.google.pt/books?id=FWNXru8iLgcC&pg=PA39&lpg=PA...

Proposed translations

+8
56 mins
Selected

masterpiece

Masterpiece parece encaixar-se perfeitamente no contexto...
Note from asker:
Thanks, Luiz... Thanks also to @Teresa Borges for the research. Apparently, "masterpiece" has already been published in an English language version. The original term in French was "chef d’œuvre". We'll go with masterpiece for consistency.
Peer comment(s):

agree Margarida Ataide
1 hr
Obrigado!
agree Mario Freitas :
1 hr
Obrigado!
agree Oliver Simões
1 hr
Obrigado!
agree T o b i a s
4 hrs
Obrigado!
agree Flavia Martins dos Santos
4 hrs
Obrigado!
agree Muriel Vasconcellos
7 hrs
Obrigado!
agree Matheus Chaud
8 hrs
Obrigado!
agree Gilmar Fernandes
19 hrs
Obrigado!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks Luiz Fernando"
+3
27 mins

magnum opus

magnum opus
Peer comment(s):

agree Margarida Ataide
1 hr
Thanks it
agree Mario Freitas :
1 hr
Thanks Mário
agree Oliver Simões
2 hrs
Thanks Oliveira
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

work of art

another suggestions
Peer comment(s):

agree Margarida Ataide
18 mins
Thanks, itineuropa
agree Lais Leite
22 hrs
Thanks, padua
Something went wrong...
+1
4 hrs

Masterwork

I guess that it can be a good one.
Peer comment(s):

agree T o b i a s
1 hr
Something went wrong...
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