Portuguese visual artist Carlos Botelho

The Portuguese artist Carlos Botelho, born in Lisbon on 18/9/1899 and died there on 18/8/1982, was a self-taught artist. He was the only child of musician parents, which is why music dominated his childhood. However, he became a painter, set designer, and author of humorous comic stories. He also drew political cartoons and, moreover, was a satirical writer! He is considered one of the most important references in his field in Portugal. He worked in his studio in Costa do Castelo, and his works are exhibited in public museums, most notably the Chiado Museum, the Modern Art Center (José de Azeredo Perdigão), and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon. He was known for focusing on drawing original scenes and paintings of the city of Lisbon in his aforementioned studio, and his works are often considered expressionist.

He emerged as a self-taught artist around 1922.
It is said that his career began after he attended secondary school at the Pedro Nunes School in Lisbon, where he held his first solo exhibitions. He then enrolled at the Lisbon School of Fine Arts but left after completing traditional training. He emerged as a self-taught artist, married in 1922, and had two children. Between 1926 and 1929, he regularly drew comic strips for a weekly children’s magazine, consistently producing the first and last two colored pages of each issue.

His comic strips served as a sharp platform for over 22 years.
Starting in 1929, he began producing two pages of comic strips for a weekly magazine, continuing for over 22 years as an influential and sharp critical platform on a wide range of issues, from the simple details of daily life in Lisbon to some of the most important events in international affairs. He continued his work with “a style blending historical narrative, autobiography, journalism, and satire,” producing sharp and satirical drawings of Mussolini and Hitler.

One of the leading designers tasked with designing Portuguese pavilions.
During the 1930s, he oversaw the Portuguese pavilion at the Paris Exhibition “1930-1931” and then at the Lyon International Exhibition in 1935. From 1937, he joined the design team of the National Propaganda Secretariat, tasked with designing the Portuguese pavilions at the Paris, New York, and San Francisco exhibitions: the International Exhibition of Art and Technology – Paris – 1937, the New York World’s Fair – 1939, and the Golden Gate International Exposition – San Francisco – California – 1939.

Lisbon

Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with a history dating back over 3,000 years to Phoenician settlers. It became a major hub during the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, though much of its historic architecture was rebuilt following a devastating earthquake in 1755. Today, it is known for its iconic yellow trams, historic neighborhoods like Alfama, and monuments such as the Belém Tower.