Garimpeiros no Rio 

Candido Portinari painted "Garimpeiros no Rio" in 1937 using oil on canvas. The image depicts a group of Brazilian gold prospectors, known as "garimpeiros," working in a river. Portinari created this painting during a time of significant social and political change in Brazil. The country was undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization, which led to increased social inequality and displacement of rural populations. Portinari, who was deeply committed to social justice, used his art to depict the lives and struggles of ordinary Brazilians, especially those marginalized by economic progress. Here, the harsh conditions and backbreaking labor of the garimpeiros are evident. The visual codes emphasize the figures' dark skin tones and worn clothing, highlighting their poverty and marginalization. The river setting suggests the garimpeiros' dependence on natural resources for their survival, while the presence of a simple wooden shack in the background underscores their lack of access to basic amenities. To understand this work better, one could examine the social and economic history of gold mining in Brazil and study Portinari's biography and other works. Art is often contingent on social and institutional context.