José Julio Souza Pinto
Spanish, 1856 – 1939
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José Júlio de Souza Pinto was a Portuguese painter in the naturalist style.
He was born in Angra do Heroísmo, in Terceira island, Azores, the son of a doctor. He lived in the islands of Terceira, Santa Maria and São Miguel Island, until the age of fourteen. Later, he lived in Porto, where he studied at the Escola Superior de Belas-Artes with António Soares dos Reis and João António Correia. In 1880, after graduating, he and fellow student Henrique Pousão travelled to Paris on a fellowship.
Once there, he obtained a position in the studios of Alexandre Cabanel, studying with William-Adolphe Bouguereau and Adolphe Yvon at the École des Beaux-Arts. He quickly became integrated into Parisian artistic circles and placed works at all the major exhibitions, including the Salon. By 1900, he was a member of the judging panel at the Salon. Eventually, he also presented his works in Brazil and the United States.
He made frequent visits to Portugal, where he exhibited in Porto and Lisbon, and he was the first Portuguese artist to have his work displayed in the Musée du Luxembourg (now in the Musée d'Orsay). On a visit to Brittany, he became enamoured of the southern coast and lived there for the remainder of his life, painting genre scenes of the local people and villages. He died at Pont-Scorff.
