Tarsila’s Dreams on Canvas

Do Amaral created some of her most innovative paintings in the 1920s. Often traveling between São Paulo and Paris, she drew inspiration from European modern art as well as from the landscapes and Indigenous art traditions of her homeland.

The artist completed her painting An Angler, above, in the mid-1920s. In this work, do Amaral uses gently curving shapes to paint palm trees, cottages, and mountains. Notice how each rounded rock and plant is lightest in the center, with gentle gradations of color that get darker near the edges. Do Amaral uses the value scale to create the illusion that each form is three-dimensional.

European modern art inspired do Amaral. The traditional art and landscapes of Brazil inspired her too.

The painting above is called An Angler. Do Amaral completed it in the mid-1920s. She uses gently curving shapes to paint palm trees, cottages, and mountains. Notice how each rock and plant is lightest in the center. The gradations of color get darker near the edges. This creates the illusion that the forms are three-dimensional.

Do Amaral’s paintings are representative, meaning they refer to things that exist in the real world. But her compositions have a playful, stylized look that doesn’t quite match reality. The artist’s use of smooth shading and rounded shapes makes the figures and objects within her paintings look inflated, as if they are balloons.

This approach is especially clear in do Amaral’s 1928 The Moon, above. How do you interpret this scene? What does each contoured band of color represent? Some people see clouds, while others might see snow-capped mountains. At first glance, the cactus might resemble a figure. While do Amaral uses simplified shapes that clearly represent something, she leaves room for your imagination to see what it wants.

Do Amaral’s paintings are representative. That means they represent something that exists in the real world. But her paintings also have a playful, stylized look that doesn’t quite match reality. She uses smooth shading and rounded shapes. This makes figures and objects look inflated, like balloons.

You can see this in the 1928 work above, called The Moon. How do you interpret this scene? Some people see clouds. Others might see snowy mountains. At first glance, the cactus might resemble a person. Do Amaral leaves room for your imagination to see what it wants.

By combining what she learned in Europe with the colors, shapes, and traditions of Brazil, do Amaral created a style that was entirely her own. Her most famous painting, Abaporu, above, shows a figure sitting next to a cactus under a bright sun. Do Amaral simplifies the figure in the 1928 work, using basic curving shapes. She foreshortens the arm and leg closest to the viewer, making them appear larger than life. The small head recedes into the background as the figure fills most of the space.

Abaporu quickly caught the attention of other Brazilian artists and became a symbol of modern art in do Amaral’s home country. The playful shapes, bright colors, and unusual way of combining reality with an imagined vision of the world show do Amaral’s talent for making art that is both deeply connected to her country’s culture and completely original.

Do Amaral combined what she learned in Europe with the colors and shapes of Brazil. That helped her create her own unique style. Her most famous painting is Abaporu, above. A figure sits by a cactus under a bright sun. Do Amaral uses basic curving shapes to paint the figure. She foreshortens the arm and leg closest to the viewer. This makes them appear larger than life. The small head almost disappears into the background.

Abaporu caught the attention of other artists in Brazil. It became a symbol of modern art in the country. Viewers appreciated the playful shapes and bright colors. Her art is deeply connected to Brazilian culture. It’s also completely original.