Brush and ink on paper, 1940. 687x985 mm; 27x38 3/4 inches. Dated in brush and ink, lower center recto.
Acquired directly from the artist, Brazil; thence gifted to the current owner, private collection, New York.
Niemeyer (1907-2012) was one of the most prominent figures of global modern architecture. He was educated at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes in Rio de Janeiro and, following his formal education, worked under the architect Lucio Costa. By the 1940s, Niemeyer began producing designs for buildings both in Brazil and abroad, including participating in the design of the United Nations headquarters in New York. Though he was inspired by contemporaries ,including Le Corbusier, Niemeyer developed a distinct style, often incorporating organic forms and futuristic curves.
Despite significant recognition for his work in the 1950s, Niemeyer's political leanings forced him to live in exile throughout Brazil's military dictatorship. He lived and worked in Paris from 1965 to 1985, designing buildings throughout Europe and Northern Africa, returning to his native country only after the dictatorship fell. He continued to work in Brazil for his remaining years, and passed away at the age of 104 in Rio de Janeiro.
This is a drawing for Niemeyer's project at Pampulha, Brazil, on which he collaborated with Roberto Burle Marx (see lot 437) during the 1940s.
