João Maria dos Santos

1909, Paris, France.

He spent the grater part of his life in the French capital where he studied at École des Beaux-Arts, École des Arts Décoratifs and Academie Colarrossi (Montparnasse). His start in paint was based on his work in set design, under the guidance of Luois Jouvet. His work in this field won his award and recognition from the most renowned national and international critics. In later years he was dedicated himself exclusively to painting, where he has shown to be one of the contemporary masters for his surprising luminosity and creative stage like spaces. While still a student in Paris he was awarded prizes by the Société d’Encouragment and the weekly L’Aujourd’hui, also participating in the Salon d’Automne and the Artistes Moderns exhibition. He was awarded the medal L’Art et l’Industrie de Frane for his set design for the play 'On ne badine pas avec l’amour', presented at the Théâtre Louis Jouvet. Awards for set design: Governor of the State of São Paulo, Saci, O Estado de São Paulo and Câmara Municipal de São Paulo, as well as the silver medal of the São Paulo Theater Critics Association. In 1958 he was awarded the International Grand Prize for decoration of the Brazilian Pavilion at the Brussels World Fair (Belgium). He participated in the SNAM, Rio de Janeiro (RJ) Biennials of 1951 and 1955.

Dictionary of Brazilian Painters, 1997, Walmir Ayala.