Arthur Timotheo da Costa

Arthur Timotheo da Costa was an Afro-Brazilian painter and designer who was born in a poor and large family in Rio de Janeiro. He and his brother João Timóteo da Costa, who also became a well-known painter, began their careers as apprentices at the Brazilian Mint, designing stamps and making prints. They entered the National School of Fine Arts in 1894, where they studied under some of the most prominent artists of Brazil. Arthur also learned stage design from the Italian designer Oreste Coliva and worked as his assistant. He participated in several editions of the annual art exhibition hosted by the School of Fine Arts and won a trip to Europe in 1907, where he spent some time in Paris. His painting "Antes do Aleluia" garnered critical acclaim in the same year. He also decorated the Brazilian pavilion at the Turin International exposition of 1911, together with his brother and another duo of brother artists, Carlos Chambelland and Rodolfo Chambelland. After his return to Brazil, Arthur was a very prolific artist, establishing himself as a renowned painter. He founded the group "la Juventas" in 1919, together with a group of fellow artists, and decorated the main hall of Fluminese Football Club with his brother. In the early 1920s, he began to show signs of mental illness and rapidly deteriorated to the point where he was unable to care for himself. He was committed to the Hospício Pedro II and died there on October 5, 1922. He left behind several paintings and decorations that reflect his talent and versatility as an artist.