Discovery of the Land: A Mural by Candido Portinari

Upon entering the Hispanic Division Reading Room, Library of Congress patrons are often awestruck by the richly colored murals that tower above them on the vestibule walls. Painted by Brazilian muralist Candido Portinari in 1941, the four murals collectively portray the discovery, exploration, and settlement of the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese.

At the invitation of then Librarian of Congress, Archibald MacLeish, and through generous funding provided by the Brazilian Government, Portinari began to prepare his sketches for the murals in August 1941. Although he deliberated painting on canvases, in the end he decided to paint directly on the walls to make the best use of the relatively small vestibule space. He also chose to paint on dry plaster in tempera (instead of the more traditional wet plaster) because, he maintained, this technique would allow for a more brilliant blending of colors and would heighten the dramatic effect of his works.

In addition to choices about technique, Portinari also faced decisions concerning the content of his works. How should he portray the arrival of the Europeans in the Americas? Which regions or figures should he highlight? Portinari finally resolved that he would not depict specific details, such as Columbus leading the Spanish or Cabral leading the Portuguese, but would instead portray a succession of events in the exploration of the Americas that might have occurred in any Latin American nation. Portinari settled on four general scenes for his murals: the first sighting of the new continent, the exploration of vast forests, the cultural and religious exchange between Europeans and indigenous peoples, and the search for precious metals.

Portinari's initial sketches provide valuable insights into how the artist achieved the final murals. Discovery of the Land, the first mural in Portinari's series, is a particularly interesting case. Available through the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog, this preliminary graphite drawing (http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2006683915//) demonstrates that Portinari initially considered portraying an expansive view of an impressive fleet approaching the New World. Later drawings however, such as this one, http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/00650396/, reveal that he abandoned this idea in favor of a much more intimate scene: a group of ordinary sailors at their work aboard a vessel. By highlighting these anonymous men, Portinari seems to be emphasizing that they were indispensible to the voyages of discovery and, later, to the fleets that enabled conquest, colonization, and commerce. Furthermore, in this later drawing there is a prominent use of rope--one of Portinari's favorite symbols: two sailors determinedly heave on ropes in the foreground, a third sailor retrieves a coil of rope from the deck, and a rope ladder blows in the wind. Since rope appears in all four of the Hispanic Division's murals, many have suggested that Portinari used it to symbolize humanity's ability to harness nature. Finally, in this "close-up" view of the sailors, Portinari captures the intensity and monumentality of the moment when the men catch their first glimpse of land. As the wind buffets the sails and propels them onwards, the sailors joyously celebrate the long-awaited discovery of land and the viewer cannot help but sense their palpable excitement.

To see the Portinari murals in person, come and visit us in the Hispanic Division! To view images of Portinari's murals or his preliminary drawings, consult the Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (http://www.loc.gov/pictures/). For more information about Candido Portinari or his work, consult the Handbook of Latin American Studies (HLAS) (http://hlasopac.loc.gov), or send a question to the Hispanic Division reference staff via Ask-a-Librarian (http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/).

The Hispanic Reading Room is a center for the study of cultures and societies of the Iberian Peninsula, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and other areas where Spanish and Portuguese influence has been significant. Researchers may visit the reading room to seek assistance with the vast Luso-Hispanic collections from reference librarians and area specialists. The reading room is located on the second floor of the Jefferson Bldg, LJ-240, and is open M-F, 8:30am to 5:00 pm.