Some of greatest brazilian artists become famous not only on beauty on their works, but also because they had expressed with great sensibility brazilian people´s way of life.

Portraiting brazilian life on coffee cycle

One of these artists was the painter and muralist Cândido Portinari that is completing on 2003 one century of his born. He was born on December 30, 1903, on the small village of Brodosqui, in São Paulo. He was the second of a great and poor family of thirteen brothers. Since he was a child, he loved to draw. He left school very early and already with 14 he left his city, joining to a group of italian artists that passed some days on the region. Started over there the way to his success in all word.

Childhood memories: the circus

The themes of his childhood on Brodósqui, a very simple life, the toys of the children and the living on the coffee farmings would be forever on his work. Portinari went to Rio de Janeiro, where he started to study arts. In 1928, he won the National Arts Festival, winning a travel to Europe. He lived then two years in Paris. Despite the fact of being abroad, this years would bring him closer to Brazil and his people.

When he was back, in 1931, his painting had changed completely. He was closer of the modernist movement and started to paint social themes, searching to make his art a way to people see and think on brazilian social gap. He got international recognization, being invited to paint two murals for American Congress Library at Washington.

On the end of the 40'ies, he joins to Brazilian Communist Party.

Woman and children - Oil, 100 x 81 cm

Changes on politics make him to leave Brazil, and he goes to Uruguay. On 1951 he is back, working and producing a lot. Portinari was known by his discipline in work. Despite being an artist, his atelier was very organized, with all materials cleaned and on its places at the end of his working day.

On 1954, he starts to show signals on intoxication by the tints used on painting. Despite that, he continues to work hard. About the doctors, that wanted him stopped on the painting, he said: "They are stopping me to live!"

He died in 1962, leaving more than 4.500 works that shows a lot on brazilian soul and life. Know a little on his work.

The Family - Oil, 60 x 73 cm.

To know and see more, check Portinari Project site, source of these pictures (http://www.portinari.org.br/)

See more Brazilkids

Brazilian mailstamp on 100 years of Portinari´s birthing


Woman and children


The young Portinari


One of his self-portraits..