Assault of corvette Maceió and schooner Dois de Dezembro (1873) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
Edoardo De Martino (1838-1912), an Italian painter active in Brazil between 1868 and 1875, became known in the country for his paintings of naval battles. His works stood out in the context of the War of the Triple Alliance (1864-1870), also known as the Paraguayan War.
Assault of Frigate Empress (1875) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
De Martino served in the Italian Navy from 1849 to 1855. He came to Brazil in 1868 and, during the War of the Triple Alliance, was commissioned by Emperor Pedro II, as the official painter, to record Brazilian military achievements, having witnessed several battles.
French Frigate (1868/1912) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
After the war, he participated in the 1870 General Exhibition of Fine Arts and received the gold medal. He later returned to Europe, becoming a marine painter for the English court in 1895. Over his career, he produced numerous landscapes, seascapes, and naval scenes.
English ships and frigates at anchorage (1874-08-24) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
In De Martino's work, ships are the true protagonists. His style is descriptive: lines and contours reveal details. However, the ship only acquires full meaning when integrated into the surrounding landscape.
Surrender of the General Dorrego corvette (1870/1880) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
In De Martino's historical paintings, the human figure plays a secondary role. The true protagonists are the ships, which become the main characters in his works, symbolizing the strength and central narrative of his maritime themes.
The painting depicts the capture of the Argentine corvette Gobernador Dorrego by the Brazilian corvette Bertioga in 1828. Incorporated into the imperial fleet, the ship was renamed General Dorrego. In the background, the vessel Caboclo and the schooner Rio da Prata appear.
The naval clash occurred during the Cisplatine War, linked to the consolidation of nation-states after Independence. The conflict pitted Argentina against Brazil militarily and culminated in the creation of Uruguay, defining borders and sovereignties in the region.
Frigate Independence (1868/1912) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
The chosen angle highlights the grandeur of the vessel. The serenity or agitation of the waters, combined with the dynamism of the clouds, give the depicted ship a true expressiveness that makes it the protagonist in the landscape.
Steamer Marquis of Olinda in Asunción (1870/1879) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
The steamship Marquês de Olinda was captured on the Paraguay River in 1864 while transporting the president of the province of Mato Grosso. This episode became a decisive turning point that triggered the declaration of war between Brazil and Paraguay.
Moonlight night in Montevideo (1868/1912) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
De Martino transforms war into landscape. The naval plot serves as a narrative thread to compose his settings, where the use of color and light guides the viewer's gaze, revealing the atmosphere and emotional intensity present in each depicted environment.
The painting depicts the corvette Baiana, which marked Brazilian participation in the Platine War, a conflict that took place between 1851 and 1852, primarily between political leaders of Argentina and Uruguay, with consequences for Paraguay and Brazil.
Canoes on watch in Chaco (1868) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
The painting "Canoes on Vigil in the Chaco" is part of the context of the Humaitá campaign. Its originality lies in depicting the moment preceding the confrontation: two Brazilian canoes full of soldiers approach the shore, where there are campaign tents and an observation tower.
The light and colors of dusk, moonlight, and night reveal the different phases of battle—announcing the tension that precedes the confrontation and then reflecting the tragic silence of death, translating the cycle of war into tones and shadows.
Riachuelo naval combat (1870) by Edoardo De MartinoMuseu Histórico Nacional
The painting "Naval Battle of Riachuelo" portrays the most significant naval clash of the War of the Triple Alliance, fought in June 1865 on a tributary of the Paraguay River in Corrientes, Argentina, marking a decisive turning point in the conflict.
The outcome was crucial in halting the advance of Paraguayan troops southward. The battlefield saw hundreds of dead and wounded, with particularly severe losses on the Paraguayan side, reflecting the brutality and human impact of the conflict.
More than just a historical record, De Martino's painting emphasizes the framing of maritime or riverine spaces, using color and light to interpret the landscape and convey atmosphere, intensity, and movement, making the setting almost as much a protagonist as the event itself.
Online exhibition inspired by Landscapes of War – The Painting of E. De Martino, originally presented at the National Historical Museum in 2018, under the curatorship of Paulo Knauss and with research conducted by Raphael Braga.
Format adaptation
Adriana Bandeira Cordeiro
Photos
Jaime Acioli
Valéria Abdala
Acknowledgments
Diogo Tubbs
Paulo Knauss
Raphael Braga
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