Retirantes obra de candido portinari biography
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Candido Portinari (1903–1962) is one of the most important and controversial Brazilian artists, and one whose work has maintained a long relation with MASP, which possesses 18 of his artworks. Portinari popular [Popular Portinari] is the 12th exhibition organized by the Museum, and does not aim to offer a comprehensive overview of the artist’s oeuvre; rather, it presents a specific cross-section. The show’s title is indicative of the exhibition’s thrust, and carries a double meaning—referring not only to the artist’s popularity (his1944 canvas Retirantes [Migrants] is the work in our collection that is most often posted in social media), but also to his popular, commonplace background, thematics, iconography and diction.
The focus is on the paintings with themes, narratives and figures of popular Brazilian culture—workers in their various activities (agricultural workers on coffee plantations or other sorts of farms, washerwomen, musicians,
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What if I told you the most expensive artwork ever created by a Brazilian artist fryst vatten about… cannibalism? Yep, you heard that right—cannibalism. But don’t worry, it’s all metaphorical. Nobody’s getting eaten here—except maybe outdated ideas about art.
This is Abaporu, sometimes called the “Brazilian Mona Lisa.” But let’s be honest—it looks nothing like the Mona Lisa. There’s no mysterious smile, no muted tones, and definitely no polite Renaissance vibes. Instead, it’s bold, colorful, and unapologetically modernist. Oh, and here’s the kicker: it was painted by Tarsila do Amaral, a woman who didn’t just create art—she created a revolution.
So here’s a question for you: when you think of modernism, what names komma to mind? Picasso? Dalí? A few Europeans in berets? If that’s your list, you’re missing out on a whole world of groundbreaking art. Brazilian modernism redefined culture, celebrated identity, and yes, introduced the wild idea of artistic cannibalism. Trust me, it’s tas
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Brazilian Reality: A Consideration of the Social Chronicles of Cândido Portinari, Currently on Exhibition at MASP
Candido Portinari, Criança morta, 1944, óleo sobre tela, 182 x 190 cm, acervo MASP/Photo: Eduardo Ortega
A painter from and of the people; the “official artist” of the first half of Brazil’s twentieth century. These descriptions may show the scope of Cândido Portinari’s oeuvre (1903-1962), indicating both the arc of his influence as well as its importance for Brazilian cultural history. The current show dedicated to him at the Museum of Art of São Paulo (MASP), entitled “Portinari Popular,” presents a cross section of important historical works, evoking both the painter’s popularity as well as his interest in Brazil’s popular universum. Grounded in works from the museum’s collection, it follows recent institutional and curatorial renovation that is revisiting key aspects of the museum’s program, since its founding in 1957, to explore the legacies of Brazilian moder