Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, often known as Machado de Assis, Machado, or Bruxo do Cosme Velho, was a pioneering Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright, and short story writer, widely regarded as the greatest writer in Brazilian literature.

He was born on 21 June 1839 in Morro do Livramento, Rio de Janeiro, to a poor family and was the grandson of freed slaves. Despite the social and educational challenges, he rose to prominence through his intellect and autodidactism.

Machado de Assis founded and became the first President of the Brazilian Academy of Letters in 1897. His works, known for wit and sharp social critique, played a significant role in shaping the realist movement in Brazil. Dom Casmurro, Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas, and Quincas Borba are considered his greatest novels.

His extensive oeuvre includes nine novels, numerous plays, over two hundred short stories, five poetry collections, and more than six hundred chronicles. Machado's influence extended to various literary schools and notable figures including Olavo Bilac and Lima Barreto. Although he achieved fame during his lifetime, his work gained global recognition posthumously.

Machado de Assis passed away on 29 September 1908 in Rio de Janeiro.