There’s something about the majesty of self-taught artists that makes you stop in your tracks and think. All the old masters—Titian, Raphael, Da Vinci—had their apprenticeships in their youth and worked as assistants to renowned artists in order to learn their trade before participating in workshops and learning from other painters, but self-taught artists then and now relied on books and self-paced study in order to achieve greatness. And greatness is le mot juste when it comes to the arresting and magnificent works of Brazilian artist Gustavo Nazareno, whose show “Orixás: Personal Tales on Portraiture” is on at Opera Gallery in London until November 9.

Thank you for signing up!

By clicking submit, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge we may use your information to send you emails, product samples, and promotions on this website and other properties. You can opt out anytime.

You might call Nazareno a self-taught master—his artistic journey began with books, but the sixteen paintings and twenty-five charcoal drawings on view show a range of influences, academic and otherwise. He’s inspired by the characteristics and traditions of Afro-Latin religions (Candomblé, Santería and Voodoo). Depicted are several deities, proud and elusive, declining to meet the viewer’s gaze. Like........

© Observer