The Portuguese who first landed on Brazilian soil in the 16th century began the transplantation of European culture to Brazil. While the Portuguese were still forming small, cautious groups to explore the unknown beaches, native art potters were at work. Indigenous craftsmen were polishing ceremonial axes of flint. Musicians and dancers decked out in colored masks, plaited straw and fantastic feather helmet were retelling the legends of the flood and the creation. All this talent has been developed and very soon Roman Catholic Churches and convents in Brazil were decorated with European style, mainly by the Brazilian craftsmen who had been trained in European methods. During the 17th and 18th centuries, baroque and rococo patterns imported from Portugal dominated Brazil’s religious architecture and its interior décor. Many of these churches can be seen today.

During the last four decades of the 18th century, new art appeared (especially in Rio de Janeiro) in which religious themes were no longer predominant. Works with temporal themes such as portraits of exalted personages became part of Rio’s artistic production.

At the beginning of the 19th century Dom Joao VI, the refugee Portuguese monarch encouraged Rio de Janeiro’s intellectual activity, founding cultural institutions such as the Royal Press and the National Library .In addition he brought a group of French masters to Brazil to establish an academy of Arts and Crafts after the style in the "modernization plan for the royal capital of Rio de Janeiro".

At the Week of Modern Art held in São Paulo in 1922, artists discussed their dissatisfaction with the "academic" world in all fields of the Brazilian arts. They wanted to open broad new avenues such as the critical pursuit of quality, the search of new values, and the rejection of the old European stereotypes. There was no precursor of genius in Brazilian painting; in the 1920’s painting simply emerged out of the shadows of the academy and joined the wave of innovation then sweeping Europe. The techniques were imported but the moods and themes were clearly Brazilian.

Today the art scene in Brazil is self assured. Brazil’s painters, sculptors, engravers and lithographers show their works both within Brazil and in museums and galleries throughout the world.