Romero Britto (B. 1963) American, Giclee. Signed in lower left. Embossed stamp in lower left. Numbered 207/750 in lower right. Titled "Happy Hour". 2005. Comes with Park West COA. Giclee on paper. 

Depicts colorful scene of various shapes. Two drinks sitting on a table. 

Overall: 26 1/2 x 26 in.

Sight: 14 1/2 x 14 in.

#3130 . 

Romero Britto was born in Recife, Brazil on October 6th, 1963. He grew up in extreme poverty in the wake of the 1964 military coup d’état that overthrew Brazilian president João Goulart. Britto often painted images on scraps of cardboard and newspaper, but did not consider art as a profession until his older brother brought home books about famous artists like Toulouse Lautrec. Britto began copying the works from the books, selling them in the street and saving the money up while studying to enter law school. The imminent collapse of the US-backed Brazilian dictatorship in the early 1980s created nightmarish conditions, and he fled to Europe in 1983, where he was able to finally study art with complete freedom. Heavily inspired by the works of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, he worked in watercolor, pen and ink, and acrylic, exploring serigraphy and lithography. He finger-painted and immersed himself in sculpture as well, developing a style that combined elements of Cubism, pop art, and graffiti into his work, using vibrant colors and bold patterns as a visual expression of hope, dreams, and happiness. In 1988, after the ratification of the new constitution by the Sixth Brazilian Republic, the international recognition of his transient status allowed him to immigrate to Miami, where he continues to work at his permanent studio. His first major commission was to design artwork for Absolut Vodka for a 1989 campaign. His rags to riches story and enthusiastic art style led him to create designs for Disney, BMW, IBM, Apple Computers, Grand Marnier, Pepsi, and Royal Caribbean Cruises. According to a 2023 documentary about him, Britto is “the most collected and licensed Brazilian artist in history.” He has public art installations at Hyde Park in London, the O2 Arena in Berlin, and at the John F. Kennedy Airport, and devotes much of his time to charitable work, supporting over 250 organizations.