The life and work of Júlio Pomar
One of the most renowned artists of the Portuguese 20th century, Júlio Pomar left a work marked by several currents, from neo-realism to expressionism, passing through abstractionism. Despite dedicating himself mainly to painting and drawing, Júlio Pomar he also carried out work in engraving, sculpture and assemblage, illustration, ceramics and glass, tapestry, theater scenography and wall decoration in tile, as can be seen in the Atelier-Museu collection Júlio Pomar. know more about Júlio Pomar in this article.
The beginning of career Júlio Pomar
Júlio Artur da Silva Pomar was born on January 10, 1926, in Lisbon. He stated in an interview with Diário de Notícias in 2016 that he was an introverted child and very involved with himself, taking refuge “in the taste and in the almost excessive practice of drawing”. At António Arroio School he met Marcelino Vespeira, Mário Cesariny, Fernando de Azevedo, Pedro Oom, José Gomes Pereira and Arthur Cruzeiro Seixas, among others, who were to assert themselves as some of the most important Portuguese artists of the first half of the 20th century.
He later studied at the Escola Superior de Belas-Artes in Lisbon and it was while studying at this institution that he sold his first painting, Os Saltimbancos, to José de Almada de Negreiros who insisted on exhibiting the painting to the public at the VII Salão de Arte Moderna do National Propaganda Secretariat.
After two years at Belas-Artes in Lisbon, he decided to move to Porto, due to the discrimination against former students of António Arroio. He began attending the School of Fine Arts in Porto, living with Fernando Lanhas's group, Júlio Resende It is Amândio Silva, responsible for the so-called “Independent Exhibitions”.
In 1945, he became responsible for the weekly page “A Arte”, of the newspaper A Tarde, in Porto, but it was with the work “Gadanheiro” that he began to attract attention. In the same year, following the participation in the IX Mission Aesthetic Holidays in Évora, the painting was exhibited at the National Society of Fine Arts, in Lisbon, having achieved strong praise for Mário Dionísio. Two years later, Júlio Pomar held his first individual exhibition in Porto.
Problems with the PIDE: The destruction of frescoes at Cinema Batalha
In 1945, he joined the Communist Juventudes, and the following year, in the Juvenil MUD, having ended up arrested by the PIDE, in 1947. Despite being imprisoned, some of his most emblematic neo-realist works, such as Almoço do Trolha or Resistência, were exhibited at the General Exhibition of Visual Arts that year. However, the frescoes that he painted for Cinema Batalha, in Porto, produced between 1946 and 1947, were eliminated after the inauguration by the political police, in 1948. It is currently possible to see the emblematic frescoes at Cinema Batalha.
After arrest, Júlio Pomar he began to live mainly from illustration, decorative works and ceramics, collaborating in publications with links to the neo-realist movement. The end point of the neo-realist phase coincides with the move to Paris. He moved in 1963 and got a grant from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, between 1964 and 1966. In this Parisian phase, the work of Júlio Pomar it was transformed due to the influences of post-war painting, taking on a new figurativism.
Artistic recognition and the Atelier-Museum Júlio Pomar
Seven years later, the first retrospective exhibition of the artist was organized in Lisbon, by the Gulbenkian Foundation, and his recognition continued in the following years.
In 2004, he was decorated by the President of the Republic, Jorge Sampaio, with the Order of Freedom. Among the honors he received, we also highlight the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa, awarded by the University of Lisbon, and the Municipal Medal of Honor, by the Lisbon City Council. Júlio Pomar he was also the only Portuguese painter who, while still alive, had a work “Classified” by the Portuguese State: Almoço do Trolha.
In 2013, the Atelier-Museum was opened to the public Júlio Pomar, a museum dedicated to his work. The collection of around 400 works of painting, sculpture, drawing, engraving, serigraphy and decorative arts was installed in a building close to his residence in Lisbon. This 17th-century building was renovated by the architect Siza Vieira.
The characteristics of the works of Júlio Pomar
Júlio Pomar was an important Portuguese plastic artist whose works present a wide variety of styles and techniques. However, it is possible to highlight some recurring characteristics in its production:- Expressivity: Júlio Pomar he valued expressiveness and spontaneity in his works, seeking a more direct communication with the spectator.
- Figuration: Although he has experimented with different artistic languages, figuration has always been present in his works.
- Intense colors: Júlio Pomar he used strong and vibrant colors in his works, often in contrast with neutral backgrounds, which gives his compositions a great visual impact.
- Influence of expressionism: Pomar's work was influenced by expressionism as it provided a way for the artist to subjectively express nature and human beings.
- Experimentation: Júlio Pomar never limited himself to a single style or technique, and always experimented and innovated his productions, always exploring new possibilities and materials.
What are the most famous works of Júlio Pomar?
Júlio Pomar was a Portuguese painter who stood out in the national and international art scene. Some of his most famous works are:- "The Troll's Lunch" (1946-50): Considered an icon of the Portuguese neorealist movement, it demonstrates the social and economic reality of a working-class couple.
- "Official portrait of President Mário Soares" (1992): portrait of President Mário Soares. The composition, with expressive and dynamic spots, is made up of several characteristics so that the figure of Mário Soares is easily recognizable.
- "Cattler" (1945): Neo-realist painting dialogues about the strength of work, allied to a strong social conscience, which links an aesthetic position to political opposition.
- "Cook Monkey": series of paintings and serigraphs of four monkeys performing human activities such as cooking. These works can be approached practically as an ironic self-portrait or a pictorial satire on the activities that humans carry out on a daily basis.
- Orchard Turkish Baths (1969): constitute a distinct plastic research. Instead of an experimentation on movement, we are now looking at research on form and its relationship with color.
In constant movement and creation, Júlio Pomar (1926-2018) was one of the most renowned Portuguese artists of the 20th century. During his long creative career, his works addressed issues and themes such as: protest, eroticism, fado, bullfighting, literature, mythology, the Xingu Indians of Brazil, Don Quixote, portraits and animals. Belonging to the third generation of modernists, Júlio Pomar is an artist with works ranging from neo-realism to expressionism, passing through abstractionism. He mainly produced paintings and drawings, but also carried out work in engraving, sculpture, illustration, ceramics, glass, tapestry, collages, theater scenography and wall decoration in tiles. In the last years of his life, he also devoted himself to poetry and music.
