MARIA BARREIRA (1914-2010) 'The Three Graces' / 'As Três Graças' - large bronze, monogrammed 'MB' to the foot of cast and dated 1971.

With matt black patina, sitting atop black marble base. In excellent condition, minor handling marks if being ultra critical.

Portugese sculptor, teacher, anti-fascist & peace campaigner, supporter and promoter of women's rights.

Her works rarely come to market, in private collections and exhibited/held by museums such as:

- Museu Municipal do Bombarral

- Museu Nacional deArte Contemporanea do Chiado, Lisboa

* Museu do Neo-Realismo, Vila Franca de Xira*

- Museu Municipal Armindo Teixeira Lopes, Mirandela

- Museu Calouste Gulbenkian

*A plaster version of similar size with later date of 1989*

Dimensions:

H 80cm bronze

H 5.5cm marble base

Total 85.5cm

Bronze base 20 x 19cm

Marble ase  21.5 x 21.75cm

Weight: 26.7kg

Brief Bio:

In 1937, she started painting at the Escola de Belas-Artes de Lisboa (EBAL), then later that year moved on to the sculpture course, completed at the same school.

In 1948 she married the sculptor Vasco da Conceio .

She graduated in 1951 in Pedagogical Sciences at the Faculty of Arts of Lisbon . She was a provisional teacher at the Marqus de Pombal School. When she applied for the internship to become a full time teacher, her request was rejected for political reasons. Maria Barreira belonged to the Movimento de Unidade Democrtica and the Associao Feminina Portuguesa para a Paz. For these activitities she would also be removed from official education, being readmitted only in 1967 . She was a teacher of drawing and visual education in preparatory and secondary school.

Her work emerged within the framework of the affirmation of the national neorealist movement, having participated in all the General Exhibitions of Visual Arts (SNBA, 1946-56).

She dedicated herself to drawing and illustration, sculpture, ceramics and medals. Focusing primarily on female themes,  reflecting her convinced defense of women's rights. In sculptural works, she approached the formal solutions of Henry Moore.

Together with Vasco da Conceio she bequeathed her artistic estate to the municipality of Bombarral. In homage to both, the museum that now houses these works is called Bombarral Municipal Museum - Vasco P. da Conceio/Maria Barreira.

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