Greek origin and great talent
Lia Mittarakis (1934–1998) was a Brazilian artist who became one of the most important figures in world naive art. Her life story is closely linked to the picturesque environment of Rio de Janeiro and Paquetá Island. She was born on July 28, 1934 in the distinctive Lapa neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro to a family of Greek origin. Before she began to devote herself fully to art, she changed many practical jobs. She worked as a secretary, cashier, accountant and even as a teacher of children.
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Artistic trail leads to Czechoslovakia
The turning point came in 1964, when, after the death of her husband, she began to devote herself fully to painting. Her first solo exhibition was held in 1969 at Galeria Marte-21 in Rio, and the following year she presented her works to the public in Rio again, this time at Galeria Ricardo Montenegro. Due to the enthusiastic reception of her paintings, she was invited to group exhibitions in the United States, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, England and Argentina, as well as to the exhibition "Naifs Del Brasile, Naifs di Haiti" during the "First World Festival in Spoleto" in Italy and at the "First Meeting of Naive Painting in Carioca" in Rio de Janeiro in 1977. And her artistic trail also leads to the then Czechoslovakia, where she was invited in 1969 to the International Triennial of Naive Art INSITA 69, which was held in Bratislava.
Painting as a warning about the ecological crisis
The peak of her painting career came in 1992, when her work appeared on the cover of the prestigious Time Magazine on the occasion of the Earth Summit, which was the first ever UN conference on the environment, which was held in Rio de Janeiro at that time. The cover featured a reproduction of her painting, which depicts the lush vegetation of the Tijuca Forest overlooking Rio de Janeiro. The editors chose her style to remind the world, through the colorful and optimistic beauty of nature, of what is at stake in the ecological crisis.
Large image formats due to vision problems
By the time her painting appeared on the cover of the world's most famous magazine, the artist was already struggling with serious vision damage due to diabetes (she could only see 40% in one eye), and yet she was still creating in her home on Paquetá Island. It was because of her partial loss of vision that she began to paint large, colorful canvases. At that time, she painted a giant canvas measuring 4 × 7 meters, which is permanently exhibited at the International Museum of Naïve Art (MIAN) in Rio. Her paintings were owned by, for example, Pope John Paul II. or are part of the collections in the Vatican Museums or the Palace of Monaco.
Artistic legacy of paintings
She died in 1998 in Rio de Janeiro, her hometown, which was a great inspiration to her throughout her life. Lia's themes are deeply rooted in her hometown and her love of nature. Colorful carnivals, religious processions, and celebrations in the square were frequent subjects. She captured historical buildings, churches, typical houses in the hills, and the docks. Her paintings are actually colorful chronicles of Rio de Janeiro.
The prices of Lia Mittarakis' paintings in current auctions most often range from 10,000 to 150,000 CZK, and the top works - large-format, detailed panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro - reach prices over 100,000 CZK. Record sales have climbed to the mark of 190,000 CZK.