José Júlio de Sousa Pinto (Açores, 1856 – França, 1939), one of the most outstanding landscape painters in the first generation of Portuguese Naturalism, attended the Painting course of the Oporto Fine Arts Academy, between 1870 and 1878, where he was a student of João António Correia, Soares dos Reis and Tadeu de Almeida Furtado. After completing the course with merit, he went to Paris in 1880 with a scholarship, together with Henrique Pousão. He was often present at the salons and attended the classes of masters Cabanel, Yvon and Bouguereau, at the École des Beaux-Arts. He spent a great part of his life in France, with a special preference for the region of Bretagne, as shown in the numerous landscapes and daily scenes he portrayed of the region. These works reflect not only naturalist principles, but also some modern traits, influenced by the contact with French post-impressionist painting, largely present in his pastel production. Although marked by it, his painting was not limited to French expression and models, as he also demonstrated his tremendous naturalist sensibility in the landscapes and scenes of his Portugal. Acclaimed while living, he had numerous exhibitions and received various prizes. In the international context, he participated, among others, in the exhibition of the Royal Academy of London, in 1882; Nice International exhibition (gold medal), in 1884; various exhibitions in Rio de Janeiro, in 1884, 1895, 1908 and 1912. In Portugal, he was present at the Grupo do Leão Exhibitions, in 1885, 1887 and 1888; at the 12th and 14th Exhibitions of the Fine Arts Portuguese Society, in 1880 (first prize) and 1887; at the Exposição Extraordinária Comemorativa do 4º Centenário do Descobrimento do Caminho Marítimo para a Índia (honour medal), in 1898; in several exhibitions at the Fine Arts National Society, where he also had a solo exhibition, in 1916; and at the 1st Retrospective Art Exhibition(1880 to 1933), in 1937.
FMV, October 2020
