▁other ▁hand , ▁takes ▁its ▁rise ▁in ▁the ▁transfer ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Court ▁to ▁Brazil ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁when ▁King ▁John ▁VI ▁brought ▁along ▁with ▁him ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Royal ▁Collection . ▁This ▁art ▁collection ▁stayed ▁in ▁Brazil ▁after ▁the ▁King ' s ▁return ▁to ▁Europe ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁core ▁collection ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁School ▁of ▁Fine ▁Arts . ▁When ▁the ▁museum ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁he ir ▁not ▁only ▁the ▁National ▁School ▁collection , ▁but ▁also ▁of ▁its ▁headquarters , ▁a ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁ ▁ec lect ic ▁style ▁building ▁project ed ▁by ▁Spanish ▁architect ▁Ad ol fo ▁Mor ales ▁de ▁los ▁R íos . ▁ ▁The ▁Muse u ▁Nacional ▁de ▁Bel as ▁Ar tes ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁cultural ▁institutions ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁museum ▁of ▁Brazil ian ▁art , ▁particularly ▁rich ▁in ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁paint ings ▁and ▁sculpt ures . ▁The ▁collection ▁includes ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁pieces , ▁among ▁paint ings , ▁sculpt ures , ▁draw ings ▁and ▁prints , ▁of ▁Brazil ian ▁and ▁international ▁artists , ▁r anging ▁from ▁High ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁to ▁contemporary ▁art . ▁It ▁also ▁includes ▁smaller ▁ass embl ages ▁of ▁decor ative ▁arts , ▁folk ▁and ▁African ▁art . ▁The ▁museum ▁library ▁has ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁about ▁ 1 9 , 0 0 0 ▁titles . ▁The ▁building ▁was