He taught at Escola Politécnica de São Paulo. He was the director of Museu Paulista (now Museu Ipiranga) from 1934 to 1937. He married Sara de Sousa Queirós, and had four sons: Ana Queirós Taunay, Paulo Taunay, Augusto de Escragnolle Taunay and Clarisse Taunay.