A self-taught painter and electrician by profession, Agostinho Batista de Freitas worked as a farm laborer before coming to São Paulo at age 11. In the early 1950s, while selling his drawings in downtown São Paulo, he met Pietro Maria Bardi (1900–1999), who later wrote a number of texts on the artist. On that occasion, Bardi commissioned a painting depicting the city viewed from atop the Banco do Estado de São Paulo (Banespa). The artist produced views of numerous landmarks of São Paulo, including the Museu do Ipiranga, the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, the Catedral da Sé and Edifício Itália. Over the years, he created several paintings of MASP on Avenida Paulista from different angles, one of which, MASP, belongs to the museum’s collection. He also painted depictions of rural scenes, favelas and popular festivals. His first solo show was held at MASP in 1952. Batista de Freitas participated in the 33rd Venice Biennale (1966), representing Brazil alongside renowned artists such as Arthur Luiz Piza and Sérgio Camargo (1930–1990).

— MASP Curatorial Team, 2015

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