- Pedro Américo
Pedro Américo de Figueiredo e Melo (
Areia ,Brazil , 1843 —Florence ,Italy , 1905) was one of the most important Academic painters of Brazil. He was also awriter and ateacher .He moved to
Rio de Janeiro in 1854, where he was granted a scholarship to study in theAcademia Imperial de Belas Artes (Imperial Academy of Fine Arts). Later he furthered his studies inEurope , at theÉcole National Superiéure des Beaux-Arts inParis , being a pupil ofJean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres ,Hippolyte Flandrin and Carle-Horace Vernet, winning much praise for his paintings, and achieving the Doctorate in Sciences at theUniversity of Brussels , in 1868.Returning to Brazil, he produced a great series of masterpieces, including one of the most well known works of art in the whole country: "Independence or Death!," depicting the moment when prince Peter declared the country independent from
Portugal , a work since decades ago reproduced massively in books ofHistory for elementary schools. Living both in Florence and Rio de Janeiro, Pedro Américo made a career also as a lecturer and art historian.He married
Carlota de Araújo Porto-alegre (1844 - 1918), daughter ofManuel de Araújo Porto-alegre , and had issue. Created Knight of the German Crown and Great Knight of theOrder of the Holy Sepulchre . With the proclamation of the Republic, he was elected a deputy of the National Assembly.References
*"Pedro Américo". Encyclopaedia Itaú Cultural. [http://www.itaucultural.org.br/aplicexternas/enciclopedia_ic/index.cfm?fuseaction=artistas_biografia_ing&cd_verbete=3703&lst_palavras=&cd_idioma=28556&cd_item=1]
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