FCO-4894 - Portrait of Dr. I. F. | Artwork

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Title

Portrait of Dr. I. F.

Location Created

Award

"This work received Honorable Mention at the Exposição de Arte Contemporânea at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes / ENBA in 1922, the artist’s first recognition."

Author

Candido PortinariPerson

Historical Info

The portrait is of Ezequiel Fonseca Filho, who lived in the boardinghouse where Portinari lived when he moved to Rio de Janeiro. In his words: "We became fast friends. Early every morning, we went to Largo do Machado and had breakfast together at the Café Lamas, usually coffee, bread and butter. When he needed it and I was able to, I helped him out with these little expenses. His company and his intelligence, obvious even then, were pleasant and gratifying. Once, on one of our regular walks through old Rio, I asked him: "Could you copy to a canvas a portrait of my parents? I’d pay for the materials." He answered without a second’s hesitation, shaking his finger to emphasize his point: "I do not copy. I create." Then, to help me get what I wanted, he suggested: "There’s a landscape artist from Ceará who could do it for you. I’ll talk to him." Then he turned to me and said: "But if you want to buy the paints, I could do your portrait and enter it in the Escola de Belas Artes exhibition." We bought the paints that very day, and the next day, there I was in the dining room [...], sitting for him. On the eve of the exhibition, Portinari brought me an invitation to the exhibition’s opening ceremony. At the designated time, I was there at the exhibition at the Escola de Belas Artes [...], in front of my portrait. I confess that I didn’t recognize myself, but there it was written: "Prize: Honorable Mention." He told me it was the first time he had shown his work in public. We hugged each other. At that time, it was said that the artistic value of a work was in the details of an ear. I never saw Portinari again… [DE 71].

Themes

portraitmanSubject

About Person

I. F.Person

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