The Mother of Mothers, Painting and Drawing by Maria Teresa Crawford Cabral is a Berardo Collection exhibition curated by Rui Carita. It brings together for the first time the entire output of this artist, who is based in Germany and is the great-great-niece of Henrique and Francisco Franco and the granddaughter of João Cabral do Nascimento and Maria Franco.


In Rui Carita’s words: “Given the opposition, but also the relationship, between her drawings and paintings, we have chosen to exhibit them in two independent series, one of which includes the first nuclei of the painting series, occasionally incorporating some of the drawings related to them. The other one consists of the remaining drawings. Our idea here was to establish an approximation and confrontation of the figure drawing work, in its immediate mimetism, and the complex creativity of her painting. We close the exhibition with a new series of drawings in order to show, independently, the points of departure and of arrival of the two ways of working.


Throughout these years the painter has continued to draw from a model, demonstrating a deep-seated need to take possession of the human body. Save for rare exceptions, however, her works in acrylic and oil do not go on to directly incorporate the models drawn. They may occasionally do so using previously drawn forms and positions as a basis, but this is in opposition to the traditional mimesis, since they result directly from the continuous recreation suggested by the various material supports created, on which the artist then draws. The supports, successively recreated and amalgamated by the painter’s hands and feet, are thus essential for the subsequent creation and recreation leading to the final work. There is no need for the presence of any model.”


Guided visits for Groups (only in portuguese)

Workshops for Children (only in portuguese)

The Mother of Mothers, Painting and Drawing by Maria Teresa Crawford Cabral is a Berardo Collection exhibition curated by Rui Carita. It brings together for ...