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Portrait of Antônio Grellet

Candido Portinari1924

Projeto Portinari

Projeto Portinari
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Composition in tones earthy, ochre, rose, blue, black and white. Smooth texture. Bust of a man portrait occupying almost the entire support area against plain background in earthy tones. The portrayed is slightly front facing left, has rectangular face, dark hair split down the middle, combed to the side, with a small "tip-of-widow" in the center of the forehead, which is very wide; only suggested eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes turned to the left, short nose, well defined lips, closed and upon the right chin. wear suit with vest in earthy tone with two black buttons, white shirt with blue brushstrokes suggesting shading and reddish-brown tie with blue diagonal list, with skewered pearl suggestion. The depicted has the narrow shoulders of which is cut by the on the right side edge of the support. Might falling from through the center of the composition creating shaded area on the right side of the portrayed.

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  • Title: Portrait of Antônio Grellet
  • Creator Lifespan: 1903-12-29 - 1962-12-06
  • Creator Nationality: Brazilian
  • Creator Gender: Male
  • Creator Death Place: Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Creator Birth Place: Brodowski, São Paulo, Brazil
  • Date: 1924
  • Location Created: Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
  • Physical Dimensions: w39 x h58cm without frame
  • Provenance: João Candido Portinari
  • Rights: João Candido Portinari
  • External Link: Projeto Portinari
  • Theme: portrait:man
  • Technique: oil
  • Painter: Candido Portinari
  • Number: FCO 2803
  • Notes: Portinari did this portrait in recognition of the help he received from Grellet. The story is that the artist "... poor as a church mouse, needed to go to Rio de Janeiro to register at the Escola de Belas Artes, but he didn’t have any clothes fitting for the occasion in what was then the capital of the Republic. As luck would have it, his body type was much like that of his friendly teacher, Antônio Grellet, who resolved this apparel issue, quite serious really, by removing from his very body a fine suit and donating it, Saint Francis style, to the young Candinho. In Rio de Janeiro, the artist, remembering his teacher and wearing that suit, made a portrait of Antônio Grellet." [PR 9222]. In 1940, Grellet was unemployed and deaf, a consequence of excessive use of quinine to combat influenza. Antônio Machado Sant’Anna, the new owner of the "A Tarde" newspaper in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, decided to hire him "in a Christian act." In1946, Grellet, in compensation for his support, gave Sant’Anna his portrait by Portinari.
  • Inscription: Signed and dated in dedication in bottom right corner "Ao amigo e prof. A. Grellet. off. CPortinari Brodowski 924”
  • Function: "This work was awarded the Small Silver Medal at the XXXI Exposição Geral de Belas Artes at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes / ENBA in 1924, conferred on the group of works being shown."
  • Catalogue Raisonné: CR-40
Projeto Portinari

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