Edmundo Migliaccio

By LatAm ARTE

Edmundo Migliaccio was a classical Brazilian painter born on December 5, 1903, in Caconde. He passed away on July 25, 1983, in São Paulo. Migliaccio was known for his neoclassical painting style, particularly as a portraitist. His works were inspired by Rembrandt, evident in the contrast of light and shadow that evoked depth and spirituality in his paintings. Some of his notable works include “Jesus Crucificado,” “Assunção de Nossa Senhora,” and “Imaculada Conceição,” which are located inside the Basilica Sanctuary of Our Lady of Conception in Caconde. Additionally, his painting “Apóstolo São Paulo” is displayed in the São Paulo City Council, and “O Sertanista” is part of the collection at the Palácio dos Bandeirantes in São Paulo. Migliaccio was the son of Italian immigrants Domenico Migliaccio and Santa Frontiera. His artistic talents were recognized from a young age, and he decorated the walls of his hometown with murals. His sketches emerged from his remarkable creative ability, even during unexpected moments. For instance, he would use the ends of a tablecloth during lunch to bring to life images of an old man meditating or a gypsy revealing the future. He studied at the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios and the Instituto Profissional Masculino do Brás in São Paulo. Despite his father’s financial constraints, a local couple, impressed by his charcoal drawings, decided to sponsor his education so that he could further develop his artistic skills. Migliaccio was also a teacher and had three children with his wife Josefina: Joval, Jurema, and Rubens. His refusal to accept Modernism marked him as a revolutionary artist within the context of the 1940s.