Heitor dos Prazeres 1898-1966

Heitor dos Prazeres
(Rio de Janeiro, 1898 – Rio de Janeiro, 1966)

A multidisciplinary artist, Heitor dos Prazeres was a composer, musician, woodworker, shoemaker, and tailor. As a self-taught painter, he began his activities in 1937. Memories of his past, scenes of the everyday life of the peripheral population of the city of Rio de Janeiro, and their festivities are the main themes of his production. 

Through the movements of the characters’ flowing skirts, arms and legs at different angles, the two-dimensional figures gain rhythm. His relationship with Carnaval permeates a good part of his paintings, for music has always been present in his life, whether through his family, the samba circles, or his direct involvement in the creation of two Rio de Janeiro Samba Schools, Portela and Mangueira.

In 1951, he won third place for national artists at the 1st São Paulo International Biennial, with the painting Moenda, and was awarded a special room at the 2nd São Paulo International Biennial (1953). He also created the sets and costumes for the Ballet of the 4th Centennial of the City of São Paulo, in 1954. In 1965, film director Antônio Carlos Fontoura produced a documentary about the work of Heitor dos Prazeres. In 1999, a retrospective exhibition was held at Espaço BNDES and at the National Museum of Fine Arts (MNBA),
both in Rio de Janeiro, to commemorate the centennial of his birth. In 2000, he was part of the Rediscovery Exhibition: Brazil + 500, at the Fundação Bienal de São Paulo.

Living in a time of great change for Brazilian society and culture, Heitor dos Prazeres was active in these transformations, at times participating actively in the formation of samba, at times registering in his paintings the peripheral population, their daily life and customs.

His works are part of national and international museum collections, such as Museu Afro Brasil, São Paulo; Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo - MAM SP, São Paulo; Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis
Chateaubriand - MASP, São Paulo; The Museum of Modern Art - MoMA, New York, USA; among others.