Caio Fern , acrylic on canvas 2011 and about influences

Caio Fern, acrylic on canvas 2011 … and about influences.

So since Thursday night I have been in my studio preparing the canvasses for this painting.
…….well….. yesterday I spent all the time experimenting different kinds of green, only this.
For 3 weeks I have gone to the MASP ( a traditional museum of art here in Sao Paulo ) only to see again a Lucas Cranach, the Younger painting (1515 – 1586 ) . As a Matter of fact the curator had the brilliant decision to hang this painting by the side of a Hans Hobein and a really wonderful Frans Halls… and it all with a comfortable bench right in front of it. I don’t need to say it became my second home now.
I posted here the picture of the Cranach’s painting that is at the MASP. Among the 3 painters, side by side, is the worse painting…. but is beautiful and the green background has seduced me deeply.
The composition of the 3 painting side by side is great because has this work on the left, in the middle the Holbein with its typical blue background and on the right Frans halls with a work were a grey-green ton predominant. So it all fits and makes me feel like to paint my life with blue and green, my favorite colors by the way.
All these days I have looked for an excuse to use green and blue , but as here is spring and I work at a place with a beautiful garden I think green has built a warmer nest in my chest.
If you look to my painting will notice under the chins and near the noses was a little background, on the photo it looks black but is green, not the same ton of the cranach’s painting, much darker, but was made by the inspiration I had with this painting.
Lately I had thought a lot about Aleijadinho, a Brazilian sculptor from the 18th century that had a huge influence on my work when I was starting to paint. I forgot about this but for one month or so it all came to my mind and I notice that still today his influences appear on my work. My paintings are based on self portrait and my eye is very similar the eyes of his sculpture, the format of the face too, long and slim. He used as models the Brazilian people of the time, descendants of Portuguese and local native Indians. I still love his style and I consider him the only authentic artist of the Brazil’s History ( besides me 😉 and an authentic genius, if he was European would be considered on of the great masters, but he was Brazilian, from the 18th century… so nobody give a crap.
Weird, maybe because I am a painter, maybe for hidden reasons, but Cranach at the German’s 16th century looks closer to me than Aleijadinho, Brazilian of the 18th century. Maybe because has Cranach in Sao Paulo’s Museums but not Aleijadinho as his works are at the State of Minas Gerais at North of my State.
But my painting’s meanings have have lot’s to do with Cranach’s and Aleijadinho and absolute nothing at the same time.
Hope you enjoy….
Have a nice weekend, I woke up today ( Saturday) at 6:00am to start to paint and now it is 2:15pm. I finished one hour ago. Yes it was a nice and slow painting enjoying the sunny morning of Spring.