Chorinho 1942

Candido Portinari made this painting called "Chorinho," and he used oil paint to do it. It’s got this cool, muted palette, almost monochrome, which gives it a smoky, jazzy vibe, like a late-night jam session. You can almost hear the music coming right out of the canvas. I find the way the paint is applied really interesting. Portinari uses these short, choppy strokes that kind of build up the figures and their instruments. It’s not about smooth blending but more about creating a textured surface that feels both raw and intentional. Look at the musician playing the trumpet, the way Portinari defines the shadow around his lips with these quick, dark marks, they’re so expressive! It’s like the paint itself is dancing. I’m reminded a bit of Picasso's blue period, where the color palette serves as a mood, but Portinari really makes it his own with his mark-making style. It's this ongoing conversation among artists. It really embraces the idea that there’s no one right answer, just different ways of seeing and feeling.