José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior

José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior (Itu, São Paulo, 8 May 1850 – Piracicaba, 13 November 1899) was a Brazilian painter from the 19th century. It´s probally the most important Brazilian realist painter from the 19th Century and a major inspiration for the Modernists painters. While most Brazilian Academic Artists made their fame painting Mythological or Historical subjects Almeida Junior would become popular for painting rural figures, specially farmers and the [caipira] , the countrymen that is a kind of a symbol of the rural areas of the São Paulo State.

While most realistic painters used farmers and countrymen as a allegory of workers Almeida Junior would paint his caipiras mostly on leisure time. He would also produce touching images of upscale landowners. The [Bandeirantes] , the ruthless explorers of Colonial Brazil would be depicted on the "A partida da monção", showing a expedition on the Tietê River.

Almeida Junior was born in the city of Itu, then a small town in the state of São Paulo. After becoming a sensation in his town he would be invited to study in the "Brazilian Imperial Fine Arts Academy" of Rio de Janeiro, but in 1876, he would study in France, after being granted a scholarship by emperor Pedro II of Brazil in person in the city of [Moji-Mirim] . He would have Alexandre Cabanel as one of his masters.

He admired the French realistic and naturalist painting(A major influence at his work), and, after returning to Brazil, in 1882, he become of the leading names of realism in Brazilian painting.

He was stabbed to death by his mistress' husband on November 13th, 1899.

External links

* [http://www.masp.art.br/default.asp?PG=MOS&Loc=1&art=4 Painting at MASP (Art Museum of São Paulo)]