Anyone passing by the Capanema Palace in downtown Rio de Janeiro has surely come across Cândido Portinari’s immense murals. But would you like to know more about how this creative process unfolded ? Starting October 1, the exhibition “Portinari and Modern Brazil” presents nine works that reveal part of that process. Learn more!
“Portinari and Modern Brazil” showcases one of the most iconic series in the artist’s body of work
The studies and paintings that preceded Cândido Portinari’s monumental panels from *Brazilian Economic Cycles* can be viewed up close at the Capanema Palace. It is there, in fact, that the iconic series is installed.
Thus, through November 12, the exhibition “Portinari and Modern Brazil” features nine large-scale works, revealing part of the creative process behind the murals.
The exhibition is organized by the Rio de Janeiro Council of Architecture and Urbanism (CAU/RJ), in partnership with Danielian, Ethel, and the Ministry of Culture.
Capanema Palace: Brazil’s first modern architectural project
The exhibition takes on a special significance because it is being held at the Capanema Palace itself, considered Brazil’s first official modernist architectural project.
Built between 1938 and 1945, the building brought together Lúcio Costa, Oscar Niemeyer, and Portinari, uniting architecture, the visual arts, and the creation of a new cultural image for the country.
At the heart of this relationship are the panels from *Brazilian Economic Cycles*. Drawing on the trajectory of the national economy, Portinari created 12 paintings that explore different activities and production cycles—from the harvesting of brazilwood to the exploitation of carnauba palm.
By presenting works related to this process, the exhibition allows visitors to appreciate the monumental scale of the project through its preparatory studies. Furthermore, it highlights the role of drawing in the artist’s body of work.
The exhibition “Portinari and Modern Brazil” runs through November, Tuesday through Sunday, at the Capanema Palace. Admission is free, by appointment only.
“Portinari and Modern Brazil” Exhibition
📍Capanema Palace | Rua da Imprensa, 16 – Downtown
📅October 1–November 12
🕛 Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
