Júlio Resende Retrospective: 60 Years of Art in Gondomar
A major new retrospective celebrating the legacy of Portuguese master Júlio Resende has opened at the Lugar do Desenho – Júlio Resende Foundation in Valbom, Gondomar. Featuring 61 pieces on loan from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s Modern Art Center (CAM), the exhibition offers a rare look at the evolution of one of Portugal’s most influential 20th-century artists.
A Journey Through Technical Mastery
The collection spans four decades of creative output, from the 1940s to the 1980s. Visitors can explore the immense diversity of Resende’s talent through a wide range of mediums, including oils on canvas and wood, watercolors, India ink, gouache, pastels, and charcoal. The exhibition also features intricate prints and silkscreens, showcasing what organizers describe as a body of work “exceptionally rich in technical experimentation and formal research.”
Among the highlights are pieces originally showcased at the V and VI São Paulo International Art Biennials in Brazil, marking significant moments in Resende’s international career. The exhibition also grants the public a rare viewing of his portraits of iconic Portuguese writers José Régio and Miguel Torga—works that have remained out of the spotlight for decades.
The Gulbenkian Connection
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has been a long-time patron of Resende’s work. The relationship began in earnest in 1957 when the artist won second prize for painting at the Foundation’s inaugural Fine Arts Exhibition. Throughout the 1960s, the Foundation acquired several pieces specifically to decorate the library bar of its landmark headquarters in Lisbon. Over the following decades, the collection grew significantly, with major acquisitions in 1971 and 1983 coinciding with the opening of the Modern Art Center.
The Legacy of Júlio Resende
Born in Porto in 1917, Júlio Resende was a pivotal figure in the renewal of modern art in Portugal. His career was defined by constant movement and international bridge-building. In the 1950s, he spearheaded the International Art Missions; by 1970, he was directing the aesthetic vision for Portugal’s pavilion at the Osaka World Expo in Japan. In his later years, he focused on fostering artistic exchanges with Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Goa.
Resende passed away in 2011 at the age of 93 at his home in Valbom—the very site where this retrospective now stands. The exhibition “61 Works by Resende from the CAM – Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Collection” provides a homecoming of sorts, allowing the local community and art lovers alike to engage with his mastery.
The exhibition is now open to the public and will run through October 11, 2025.
Image: Pexels – Matheus Natan
