Amadeo de Souza Cardoso

The Portuguese painter Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso develops a practice that explores Expressionism and, in his later works, collage and other forms of visual expression; in 1916, he presents 114 works in Porto under the title «Abstraccionismo», before the exhibition is also shown in Lisbon. Born in 1887 in Manhufe, near Amarante, and died in Espinho in 1918, he pursues a brief career, whose documented stages link Portugal with several European art centres.

After beginning law studies at the University of Coimbra, he abandons them in 1905 to take architecture courses at the Lisbon Academy of Fine Arts. He leaves for Paris in 1906, where he settles in Montparnasse with the intention of continuing his studies. In 1908, he resides at 14 cité Falguière, then spends a few months in Brussels in 1910. After his final return to Portugal, he settles in 1914 with his wife at Casa do Ribeiro, in a studio built by his father and uncle. His career thus takes shape between modern Paris and a village in northern Portugal.

In Paris, he exhibits at the Salon des indépendants in 1911. The following year, the album XX Dessins, with a preface by Jérôme Doucet, is published and receives a favourable reception. In 1913, he sends eight works to the Armory Show in New York and takes part in the Herbstsalon at the Der Sturm gallery in Berlin. Several works are recorded in museum collections: Dom Quixote (1914), Coty, Entrada and Pintura, all three dated 1917, at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon; Saut du Lapin (1911) is listed at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Works recorded at auction

Artcurial Beurret Bailly Widmer · Lot 104

Croquis Breton, 1912

Tusche und Gouache auf Papier

Catalogue period : 2014-06-21

Published result : 20736 CHF

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : CHF 15000–20000

View the lot at the auction house ↗