Almada Negreiros
A restless modernist who used everything from paint to poetry to drag Portuguese art into the 20th century.
1893–1970 (age 77)·Portuguese artist·Birthday: April 7·The Lost Generation
Biography
Almada Negreiros was a whirlwind of creative energy, a defining force of Portuguese modernism who refused to be confined to a single discipline. Born in the African colony of São Tomé and Príncipe, he arrived in Lisbon as a young man and quickly became a provocateur, publishing manifestos and satirical drawings that skewered the old guard. He was a central figure in the 'Orpheu' generation, alongside the poet Fernando Pessoa, with whom he collaborated closely. Almada's work was characterized by geometric precision, a fascination with movement, and a deep inquiry into Portuguese identity. He moved seamlessly from writing novels and plays to designing ballets, but his most enduring legacy is visual. His vast public murals and stained-glass windows, particularly those for Lisbon's shipping terminals and the Gulbenkian Foundation, transformed the city's architecture into a canvas for his bold, dynamic visions.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Almada was born in 1893, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Almada Was Born
The biggest hits of 1893
Almada's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1893Born
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Started school
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1906Became a teenager
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Could drive
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1911Could vote
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1914Turned 21
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Turned 30
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1933Turned 40
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 50
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 60
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 70
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1970Died at 77
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
Key Achievements
- Created the monumental mural 'Começar' (To Begin) for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation's headquarters in Lisbon.
- Co-founded and was a leading voice in the Portuguese modernist magazine 'Orpheu'.
- Designed the iconic stained-glass windows for the Church of Nossa Senhora de Fátima in Lisbon.
- Wrote and illustrated the modernist novel 'Nome de Guerra' (A Name of War).
Did You Know?
He was of mixed-race heritage, born to a Portuguese father and a mother from São Tomé and Príncipe.
He lived for a period in Madrid, where he worked as a dancer and choreographer for the ballet.
He gave a famous lecture in 1916 titled 'A Invenção do Dia Claro' (The Invention of the Clear Day), a key modernist text.
He painted a famous portrait of his friend and collaborator, the poet Fernando Pessoa.
“I am not from any generation or any school. I am my own master and my own disciple.”
