About Brazilian painter Totonho

The overwhelming beauty of the rain-forest and its depressing devastation, are the main subjects of Brazilian painter Totonho. Born in the countryside of the state of Bahia, in the northeast of Brazil, he is a person of nature by heart.

Love for nature

Totonho is a self-taught artist. He starts to paint at a very early age, using soil, plants and coffee to make paint. About fourteen years old, he moves from the countryside to Bahia’s capital Salvador, a huge city with a rich culture. Here he refines his skills and meets other artists. In the eighties he is one of the founders of the Associação dos Artistas Populares do Centro Histórico de Salvador.

Totonho, Brazilian painter, pintor Brasileira
Totonho – photo: Natan Fox

Totonho’s paintings reflect his strong love and sensibility for the environment. His subjects and technique are hardly traditional, and his paintings defy classification.

Brazilian landscape

His meticulous work show both the beauty of the jungle and the devastation of the planet. With his unique colors and extraordinary reflections, he captures the mysterious Brazilian landscape in an inimitable way. There lies the essence of his worldwide success, with expositions in Brazil, Portugal, France, Spain, Great Britain, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, The Netherlands, Canada and the USA.

Sketches of Brazil

American composer Robert Irving III was inspired by Totonho’s paintings writing Sketches of Brazil in 2009. Totonho was invited to participate at the Forum d’Avignon in France in 2011 and 2012. Totonho resides and works in Brazil, Portugal and The Netherlands.