Jose Ferraz Almeida Júnior
Almeida Júnior, was a Brazilian artist and designer, one of the first there to paint in the Realistic tradition of Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet. How did this happen?
In 1876 Emperor Pedro II saw Júnior's work and liked it. He personally offered Júnior his financial support and awarded Júnior 300 francs per month to study in Paris. He soon settled in Montmartre and enrolled at the École des Beaux-Arts, becoming one of the many students of Alexandre Cabanel. While there, he participated in four of the Salons.
He was inspired by the very fashionable Realism. Nhá Chica is a great example of this influence; it is a portrait of Francisca de Paula de Jesus, an Afro-Brazilian Catholic laywoman and popular religious figure known for her humble life and her dedication to God.
Have a chilled-out Wednesday, everyone!
P.S. We've just released a new online course: Cubism 101 - an introduction to the movement that changed the trajectory of modern art. Check it out here; first lesson is free of charge ;)