Sunday, October 19, 2008

An outskirt/Um arrabalde


Observing some outskirts of Porto, it's hard to imagine those same places some forty years ago, when traffic was scarce, houses were mostly tiny and colorful with primorous yards, and one could catch the trolley to downtown and other destinations. The trolleys are now gone, and apartment buildings have been taking the place of the houses.
Observando certos arrabaldes do Porto, dificilmente se imagina esses mesmos lugares há cerca de quarenta anos atrás, quando o trânsito era pouco, as casas eram na sua maioria pequenas e coloridas com primorosos quintais, e se podia apanhar o eléctrico para o centro da cidade e outros destinos. Actualmente, os eléctricos já desapareceram e prédios de andares têm vindo a ocupar o lugar das casas.
Fabriano cold-pressed 7"x5" - 140lb (18x12,5cm - 300g/m2) paper

2 comments:

Julio Rodrigues said...

When I was in Coimbra, three weeks ago, I went to the main bookstores looking for a book on Portuguese Painting with no luck.
Then, I climbed thru the Arco de Almedina into the upper alleys of the town and I found a great book which cost me a bundle (weak dollar!) but it was worth it. "A Aguarela na Arte Portuguesa" por Maria Lucilia Abreu. I recommend it.
Regarding this piece...your human figures always add life to the already beautiful scenes. Great work.

Paulo J. Mendes said...

I think I saw that book in some bookstores... A big, thick book. It makes part of my wishlist, as I would like to know more about the watercolor in Portuguese art.
I like to include some figures im my works, both people and animals, even if seen from distance. They are indeed part of the scene's life.
Best regards.