Milton Dacosta (Niterói RJ 1915 - Rio de Janeiro RJ 1988)
Milton Dacosta was a painter, draftsman, printmaker and illustrator. He began studying drawing and painting in 1929 with the German teacher August Hantv. The following year, he enrolled in the open course taught by Marques Júnior (1887-1960) at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (Enba), which was closed by the Revolution of 1930. In 1931, together with Edson Motta (1910-1981), Bustamante Sá (1907-1988), Ado Malagoli (1906-1994) and other artists, he founded the Núcleo Bernardelli. His first solo exhibition took place in 1936 in Rio de Janeiro, the year in which he also received an honorable mention at the Salão Nacional de Belas Artes.
In 1945, he traveled to the United States with the foreign travel prize awarded by the Salão Nacional de Belas Artes the previous year. In New York, he studied at the Art Students League of New York. The following year, he went to Lisbon, where he met Almada Negreiros (1893-1970) and Antonio Pedro (1909-1966). After visiting several European countries, he settled in Paris, studying at the Académie de La Grande Chaumière. There he met Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) through Cícero Dias (1907-2003), and frequented the studios of Georges Braque (1882-1963) and Georges Rouault (1871-1958). He exhibited at the Salon d'Automne and returned to Brazil in 1947.
In 1949, he married the painter Maria Leontina (1917-1984) and went to live in São Paulo. In the 1950s, he developed a body of work of constructivist character, a style he modified in the following decade when he returned to figuration with the series of color metal engravings on the theme of Venus.
Art within everyone's reach
It was a cramped room on the first floor of an old townhouse on Rua São José, in Rio de Janeiro, whose ground floor housed the Casa Cavalier shop.
In the left corner, a live model. Around the room, as best they could, young painting students were scattered, two or three with easels, the rest with drawing boards, each one looking for a better angle from which to reproduce the nude body before them.
No teachers. It was the Núcleo Bernardelli, which met every night in the same place, challenging traditional teaching, especially the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes, lost in the shadows of the past, teaching Romantic and Neoclassical painting in the middle of the 1930s and undermining any initiative toward the modernization of art.
Here, painting was free; no one followed preset methods or techniques. Each painted as he pleased, gave free rein to the imagination, in a relentless struggle between paints and brushes that tried to come to terms, with no evident results.
Among the experimenters of free art were the sailor José Pancetti (1902-1958), Ado Malagoli (1906-1994), Milton Dacosta (1915-1988) and, of course, the founder of the group, Edson Motta (1910-1981).
The master's verdict
With the work ready, perfect and finished, an expert was invited to give his impressions on the progress of those young aspirants. The master was Manuel Santiago (1897-1987), in the fullness of his 37 years but already with respectable experience, having taken part in several exhibitions in Brazil and in France, where he had stayed thanks to a travel prize won in 1927 at the salon of the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes. Quite an authority to assess the potential of those eager young people.
Santiago walked, astonished, past the paintings shown to him, hardly believing what he saw, examining and reexamining each one to make sure it was not a dream but the reality of the work done by each of the members of the Group.
What they do is the most ordinary guava paste, thinking they are independent and have personality - he later wrote to his wife, the painter Haydea Santiago (1896-1980). It is harsh criticism, but he then corrects himself, clarifying his thought:
I've grown fond of this bunch of barbouilleurs (daubers) and I think I'll devote myself entirely to them, as they show willpower and need a good, older friend to make great painters of them.
The progress of a dauber
Milton Dacosta, one of the barbouilleurs Santiago referred to, was born in Niterói, State of Rio de Janeiro, in 1915, and died in the city of Rio de Janeiro in 1988. He showed an attraction to drawing from childhood, when he scribbled on any material within reach, such as shoeboxes, pieces of cardboard and whatever else.
At 14, he met a German teacher, Augusto Hantz, with whom he took his first lessons, and the following year he enrolled in the open course taught by Augusto José Marques Júnior (1860-1937) at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes.
That was not what he wanted, and at 16 he took part in founding the Núcleo Bernardelli, a misguided project, but one that was the first stage in freeing his painting from academic canons.
The Salon opens its doors
In 1936, after holding a solo exhibition that achieved relative success, Dacosta felt encouraged to try once again to enter the Salão Nacional de Belas Artes.
His previous attempt had left him frustrated, as his paintings were not only rejected by the Salon but ridiculed. This time, however, he not only exhibited but received an honorable mention, a sign that the academics, resistant to change, were beginning to make concessions to the new painters.
This became more evident in the following exhibitions, when he won the bronze and silver medals and, in 1944, the coveted foreign travel prize. That is how, in 1945, he traveled to the United States in the company of the painter Djanira and, from there, went on to Europe, staying in Paris for two years.
Gradual and steady development
Dacosta's painting was no longer the same as in the first scribbles of his childhood and the free-style smudges practiced in the first phase of the Núcleo Bernardelli. Dacosta developed, but he developed gradually, step by step, without skipping stages.
In his early days, as often happens with beginners, he felt an irresistible attraction to Impressionism, moving sequentially to Expressionism, Cubism and Concretism, finally returning to Cubism as his definitive choice.
In 1949, Milton Dacosta married the painter Maria Leontina, a marriage that lasted 37 years and ended only with her death in 1984. Together they traveled the path of life and the path of art, took part in Biennials, went abroad for advanced courses, supported each other, and grew together in the mission they had chosen: to make the world more beautiful.
Four years after being widowed, Dacosta also died, while going through the most important phase of his painting, in a series he called Vênus e os Pássaros [Venus and the Birds].
Comparing the paintings made from 1963 onward within this series with those made in the 1940s, one sees that the naivety of line and color gave way to the artist's maturity, in which form prevails over color and refinement of style, with sobriety and elegance, dominates the whole picture.
Text: Paulo Victorino
Solo Exhibitions
1936
Rio de Janeiro RJ - First solo exhibition, at Galeria Santo Antonio
1945
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at IAB/RJ
1949
São Paulo SP - Milton Dacosta: Gouaches and Drawings, at Galeria Jaraguá
1950
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Ministério da Educação e Cultura
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Itapetininga
1951
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Ambiente
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Domus
1955
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Petite Galerie
1956
São Paulo SP - Solo, at MAM/SP - Isai Leirner Contemporary Art Prize
1959
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta: Retrospective, at Galeria GEA
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta: Retrospective 1939-1959, at MAM/RJ
1963
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Ambiente-Spazio
1964
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Mobilínea
1967
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Módulo
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria Barcinsky
1971
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Petite Galerie
1973
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Tribute to Milton Dacosta, at Galeria da Praça
1974
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Arte Global
1976
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria da Praça
1977
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Escritório de Arte Luís Caetano
1979
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Acervo Galeria de Arte
1981
São Paulo SP - Milton Dacosta: Retrospective, at MAM/SP
1982
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta: Revisiting the 1950s, at Galeria Paulo Klabin
São Paulo SP - Milton Dacosta: Revisiting the 1950s, at Documenta Galeria de Arte
1983
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo
1986
São Paulo SP - Milton Dacosta: Constructive Phase 1954-1960, at Gabinete de Arte Raquel Arnaud
1987
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Companhia das Artes
1988
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta, 1950s, at Funarte
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Biblioteca Municipal Mário de Andrade
1989
Salvador BA - Milton Dacosta: Prints, at Prova do Artista Galeria
2005
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Solo, at Galeria de Arte Ipanema
2006
São Paulo SP - Solo, at Galeria Bergamin
Group Exhibitions
1933
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 40th General Fine Arts Exhibition, at Enba
1934
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 3rd Núcleo Bernardelli Salon, at Enba
1936
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 42nd National Salon of Fine Arts, at Instituto de Previdência - honorable mention
1937
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta and Bustamante Sá, at Galeria Santo Antônio
1939
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 45th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA - bronze medal
1941
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 47th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA - silver medal and jury exemption
1944
Belo Horizonte MG - Modern Art Exhibition, at Edifício Mariana
London (England) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Royal Academy of Arts
Norwich (England) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Norwich Castle Museum
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 50th National Salon of Fine Arts, at MNBA - foreign travel award
1945
Bath (England) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Victory Art Gallery
Bristol (England) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery
Buenos Aires (Argentina) - 20 Artistas Brasileños, at Salas Nacionales de Exposición
Edinburgh (Scotland) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at National Gallery
Glasgow (Scotland) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Kelvingrove Art Gallery
La Plata (Argentina) - 20 Artistas Brasileños, at Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes
Manchester (England) - Exhibition of Modern Brazilian Paintings, at Manchester Art Gallery
Montevideo (Uruguay) - 20 Artistas Brasileños, at Comisión Municipal de Cultura
Santiago (Chile) - 20 Artistas Brasileños, at Universidad de Santiago de Chile
1947
Paris (France) - Salon d'Automne, at Grand Palais
1950
Venice (Italy) - 25th Venice Biennale
1951
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Still Life Exhibition, at Serviço de Alimentação e Previdência Social
São Paulo SP - 1st Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, at Pavilhão do Trianon
São Paulo SP - 1st São Paulo Salon of Modern Art, at Galeria Prestes Maia - State Government Prize
1952
Paris (France) - 38th Salon de Mai
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Exhibition of Brazilian Artists, at MAM/RJ
Santiago (Chile) - Exposición de Pintura, Dibujos e Grabados Contemporáneos del Brasil, at Universidad de Chile. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
1953
São Paulo SP - Extraordinary Congress of the International Association of Art Critics, at Masp
1954
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta and José Pedrosa, at Galeria Tenreiro
Salvador BA - 4th Bahia Salon of Fine Arts, at Hotel Bahia - silver medal/painting
São Paulo SP - Contemporary Art: Exhibition of the Collection of the Museu de Arte Moderna de São Paulo, at MAM/SP
1955
Lissone (Italy) - 9th Lissone International Prize
Lugano (Switzerland) - Exhibition organized by MAM/SP and MAM/RJ
São Paulo SP - 3rd Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, at Pavilhão das Nações - best Brazilian painter prize
1956
Rio de Janeiro RJ - National Exhibition of the Guggenheim Prize, at MAM/RJ
1957
New York (United States) - Guggenheim International Award: 1956, at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
São Paulo SP - 4th Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, at Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo Sobrinho - acquisition prize
1958
Pittsburgh (United States) - 43rd International Exhibition of Contemporary Painting and Sculpture
1959
Leverkusen (Germany) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe
Munich (Germany) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe, at Kunsthaus
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 30 Years of Brazilian Art, at Galeria Macunaíma
São Paulo SP - Milton Dacosta and Maria Leontina, at Associação dos Amigos do MAM/SP
Vienna (Austria) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe
1960
Hamburg (Germany) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe
Lisbon (Portugal) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe
Madrid (Spain) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe
Paris (France) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Inaugural group show of Galeria Bonino
São Paulo SP - Leirner Collection, at Galeria de Arte das Folhas
Utrecht (Netherlands) - First Group Exhibition of Brazilian Artists in Europe
1961
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 1st The Face and the Work, at Galeria Ibeu Copacabana
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Petite Galerie Art Salon, at Petite Galerie - first prize
São Paulo SP - 6th Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, at Pavilhão Ciccillo Matarazzo Sobrinho - special room
1962
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta and Anna Letycia, at Petite Galerie
São Paulo SP - Selection of Brazilian Artworks from the Ernesto Wolf Collection, at MAM/SP
1963
Campinas SP - Contemporary Painting and Sculpture, at Museu Carlos Gomes
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 1st JB Art Summary, at Jornal do Brasil
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Landscape as Theme, at Galeria Ibeu Copacabana
1964
Lisbon (Portugal) - Group Show, at Palácio da Foz
Rio de Janeiro RJ - The Nude in Contemporary Art, at Galeria Ibeu Copacabana
1966
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Self-Portraits, at Galeria Ibeu Copacabana
Salvador BA - 1st National Biennial of Visual Arts - special room
São Paulo SP - Half a Century of New Art, at MAC/USP
1971
São Paulo SP - 3rd Panorama of Current Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
São Paulo SP - Group Show, at Galeria Astréia
1972
São Paulo SP - Art/Brazil/Today: 50 Years Later, at Galeria da Collectio
1976
São Paulo SP - Brazilian Art in the 20th Century: Paths and Trends, at Galeria Arte Global
São Paulo SP - Young Drawing of the 1940s, at Pinacoteca do Estado
1977
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brazilian Constructive Project in Art: 1950-1962, at MAM/RJ
São Paulo SP - Brazilian Constructive Project in Art: 1950-1962, at Pinacoteca do Estado
1978
São Paulo SP - The Biennials and Abstraction: The 1950s, at Museu Lasar Segall
1979
São Paulo SP - 15th Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, at Fundação Bienal
1980
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Tribute to Mário Pedrosa, at Galeria Jean Boghici
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Milton Dacosta, Volpi, Bruno Giorgi, at Acervo Galeria de Arte
1981
São Paulo SP - Transcendent Art, at MAM/SP
1982
Lisbon (Portugal) - Brazil 60 Years of Modern Art: Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection, at Centro de Arte Moderna José de Azeredo Perdigão
London (England) - Brazil 60 Years of Modern Art: Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection, at Barbican Art Gallery
Penápolis SP - 5th Noroeste Visual Arts Salon, at Fundação Educacional de Penápolis. Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Penápolis
Salvador BA - Brazilian Art from the Odorico Tavares Collection, at Museu Carlos Costa Pinto
São Paulo SP - From Modernism to the Bienal, at MAM/SP
São Paulo SP - Núcleo Bernardelli Exhibition: Brazilian Art in the 1930s and 1940s, at Acervo Galeria de Arte
1983
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 6th National Visual Arts Salon, at MAM/RJ
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brazilian Self-Portraits, at Galeria de Arte Banerj
1984
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Active Brazilian Painting, at Espaço Petrobras
São Paulo SP - Gilberto Chateaubriand Collection: Portrait and Self-Portrait of Brazilian Art, at MAM/SP
São Paulo SP - Tradition and Rupture: A Synthesis of Brazilian Art and Culture, at Fundação Bienal
1985
Porto Alegre RS - Iberê Camargo: Trajectories and Encounters, at Margs
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Encounters, at Petite Galerie
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Six Decades of Modern Art: Roberto Marinho Collection, at Paço Imperial
São Paulo SP - 100 Itaú Works, at Masp
1986
Brasília DF - Iberê Camargo: Trajectories and Encounters, at Teatro Nacional Cláudio Santoro
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Iberê Camargo: Trajectories and Encounters, at MAM/RJ
Rio de Janeiro RJ - JK and the 1950s: A View of Culture and Everyday Life, at Galeria Investiarte
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Wartime: Hotel Internacional, at Galeria de Arte Banerj
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Wartime: Pensão Mauá, at Galeria de Arte Banerj
São Paulo SP - Iberê Camargo: Trajectories and Encounters, at Masp
1987
Paris (France) - Modernity: Brazilian Art of the 20th Century, at Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
Rio de Janeiro RJ - To the Collector: Tribute to Gilberto Chateaubriand, at MAM/RJ
Rio de Janeiro RJ - Rio de Janeiro, Fevereiro, Março: From Modernism to the 80s Generation, at Galeria de Arte Banerj
São Paulo SP - The Biennials in the MAC Collection: 1951 to 1985, at MAC/USP
São Paulo SP - The Craft of Art: Painting, at Sesc
1988
Rio de Janeiro RJ - 2nd Geometric Abstraction, at Funarte. Centro de Artes
São Paulo SP - MAC 25 Years: Highlights of the Initial Collection, at MAC/USP
São Paulo SP - Modernity: Brazilian Art of the 20th Century, at MAM/SP
