O Casamento 1967

Alvaro Lapa made this painting, "O Casamento," meaning "The Wedding" in Portuguese, using expressive brushstrokes and a stark palette. It could be read as a commentary on social structures. Lapa was Portuguese, and the title may allude to the institution of marriage in Portugal, perhaps in relation to the conservative social norms which were breaking down during the late 20th Century. Its composition evokes a sense of unease, with heavy black forms looming over delicate, almost suffocated spaces. The work resists easy interpretation, but the tension between freedom and constraint is palpable. Art historians often research artists’ personal lives, and the social or political contexts in which they were working, to better understand the cultural values and ideas that shaped them. By studying historical documents, criticism, and theory, we can interpret this work, not as a straightforward depiction of marriage, but as a reflection on its complexities.