«Our paintings have to be useful, serve a purpose to man, take care of their problems that have been longing for a solution for so long…
Let’s make paintings for everyone, let everyone look at us as men. This is our duty. »
Vespeira, Aos pintores portugueses — carta aberta, A Tarde, 4/8/1945
The European art in-between wars was marked by the return to balance, and by the reappearance of realism. Up until a certain point, realism was popular with dictatorial regimens that were in place for almost the whole continent. This was a reaction to the radical vanguards started in the beginning of the 19th century. However, the motivation was beyond visual arts, it had its roots in the generalized desire for a social regrouping and reorganization after the destruction caused by The First World War.
In Portugal, the reappearance of the New Realism in visual arts had a different drive. The vanguards were never really established, so the balance was never lost, the ignition was political conscience, that mobilized artists to have sympathy for the people that were explored and oppressed by fascism.
After being firmly established in literature, after the Second World War, New Realism started to gain its consistence when a group of young artists established themselves in the leftist press, regularly publishing articles that went on to build and clarify the movement’s ideologies.
New Realism didn’t have much in common with the 19th century realism. Although both chose topics that were connected to the hardness of life, New Realism wanted to start a transforming action in art, not only showing the problems, but, specifically, contributing to a social revolution, to elevate the people to a state they were never able to be in. There were two vectors of great importance: one, using art to expose as much as possible, this depended on the artists only, who did everything in their power to accomplish it. Two, they defended thar art should be accessible to everyone, until then, art was exclusively for the higher classes. Attaining this goal was way beyond the means that these youngsters had. Their dream of reproducing the big American mural paintings encountered difficulties within the regime, who wanted the buildings walls to be exclusively for advertisement. The only vehicle to allow realism to get to a bigger audience with less economic means was illustrations and print.
Apertado pela fome, 1945
Óleo sobre tela, Colecção Gulbenkian
O homem e a máquina, 1943
Mina negra sobre papel, Colecção Gulbenkian
O homem e a máquina, 1943
Mina negra sobre papel, Colecção Gulbenkian
Gadanheiro, 1945
Óleo sobre aglomerado de madeira, Museu do Chiado
Almoço do Trolha, 1946-50
Óleo sobre tela, Colecção Manuel de Brito
Resistência, 1946
Óleo sobre aglomerado, Colecção do Museu de Lisboa em depósito na Fundação Júlio Pomar
Sem título, 1946
Pastel e Carvão sobre papel, Colecção Gulbenkian
Sem título, 1947
Lápis litográfico sobre papel, Colecção Gulbenkian
A carta, 1953
Óleo sobre cartão, Colecção Gulbenkian
Sem título, 1953
Tinta-da-china e grafite sobre papel, Colecção Gulbenkian
Ilustrações para uma edição especial do livro Fanga, de Alves Redol (nunca publicada)
Colecção particular
Capa do livro Gaibéus, de Alves Redol, 1939
Capa do livro Vila Adormecida, de Antunes da Silva, 1947