Graciano Clóvis

Born. 20.01.1907 in Araras in Brazil
Died. 29.06.1988 in Sao Paulo

Brazilian Artist

About the artist

Clóvis Graciano was born on 20 January 1907 in Araras, Brazil.

In 1927 he started his career painting poles and signs at railway stations for the Sorocabana Railway in Conchas.

He moved to São Paulo to work as an office clerk in 1934 while continuing his artwork in his free time. It was a position that did not interest him and he would often take days off and not arrive at work. As a result, he was fired after ten years with the company.

In 1937, he joined the Grupo Santa Helena. it was formed spontaneously, without any official agreements and the name came from Sérgio Milliet for the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese immigrant painters who met in the studios of Francisco Rebolo and Mario Zanini in the 1930s.
All the members were from poor working-class backgrounds and due to work commitments, paintings were normally done at weekends or whenever there was any free time.

Graciano met and became friends with Candido Portinari, who is considered one of the most important Brazilian painters as well as a prominent and influential practitioner of the neo-realism style in painting.
In the late 1940s, Graciano went to Paris, where he learned mural painting techniques. After returning to Brazil, he continued to work on murals and panels in São Paulo.

Graciano was always busy with a variety of projects. As well as his art, he also did illustrations for newspapers, magazines, and books.

In 1971, he was director of São Paulo State Pinacotheca, President of São Paulo’s State Board for Visual Arts, and São Paulo’s State Council for Culture.

His work focused on social themes, linked to migrants, musicians, and dancers, staying away from abstract art, and loyal to his figurativism.

Clóvis Graciano died on 29 June 1988 in São Paulo, aged 81.