Retirantes 1936

Candido Portinari made this painting, called Retirantes, with oil paint. Look at the way Portinari built up the figures with these short, choppy brushstrokes. It gives them real weight, a feeling of being grounded. There's a raw, earthy quality to the colors here, too. It's like he's mixing the very soil into his paint. Notice the shadows, how they aren't just dark but are made of browns and greens, as if the figures are emerging from the earth. I keep coming back to the hands in this painting. The mother’s hand resting on the child's shoulder, is like a map of resilience, the lines and texture telling a story of hardship, yet also tenderness. The rawness reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who wasn't afraid to confront difficult themes with a direct, unflinching eye. It’s a reminder that art can be a powerful witness, a way to make the invisible visible, even when it's uncomfortable.