The negros of Serpa Pinto

This is an excellent example of picturesque attention that hardly fascinated Lupi, if one evaluates the amount of paintings he delivered within this genre. It presents two Angolan slaves that served Serpa Pinto on his voyages. A conflict can be noted between the abstract background, sketched, neutral in colour and executed according to academic parameters and the vibrant colour of their garments, a pronunciation of the outdoor palette Lupi saw and admired in Paris.
The fact that this painting remained unfinished reveals his technique. Thus, the paint was placed over a neutral background in sponged, thick layers, with a colour that was pure at times to establish complementary contrasts, defining luminous zones, and leaving the dark and penumbra more undefined and tonal. Lupi's classical training with the Venetian school, and specifically with Tiziano, was of vital importance.