Until his move to Paris in 1906, and during the first years of his stay in the French capital, Amadeo de Sousa Cardoso's artistic production focused on caricature drawing. This practice was developed from direct observation of social stereotypes and reveals the bourgeois and mundane ambiances frequented by the artist, who was not indifferent to the national models set by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro or the caricatures published by Leal da Câmara in Parisian periodicals.

Sketched in graphite pencil in a loose and rapid stroke, with little formality - possibly from direct observation of the model - this simple drawing reveals a caricature-like intention. In compositional terms, the attention given to some physiognomic characteristics of the depicted character stands out, such as the abundant hair, the sinuous facial profile, the protruding belly, and the short legs whose flexion delicately expresses an illusion of perspective and movement. The position of the inclined figure highlights the humorous potential of the scene, which in terms of significance, is suggested by its title or caption - - Declaração de amor a uma inglesa no Bussaco
(Declaration of love to an English woman in Bussaco). The scene is probably the description of an episode that actually happened since Amadeo's work is constantly linked to reality, referring to references, experiences, and personal memories.

JB