Edivaldo Assis

Edivaldo Assis was born in 1940 in the city of Santo Amaro da Purificação, in the Bahian Recôncavo region. From a young age, he demonstrated a talent for drawing, skillfully copying famous characters of the time, such as “Amigo da Onça” (Friend of the Jaguar) from the magazine O Cruzeiro. Over time, he began to portray the historic buildings of his hometown — churches, the city hall, and colonial houses —, establishing an emotional and aesthetic connection with the urban and cultural landscape of the Recôncavo region from an early age.

At the age of 15, while studying at the São Bento das Lages Agricultural School in São Francisco do Conde, he painted a panel for the institution’s façade, standing out for his talent, intelligence, and dedication to his studies. Two years later, he left school to help his family financially, moving to Salvador in 1956.

In the capital of Bahia, he began working in the distribution of the Diário de Notícias newspaper, but he never abandoned his artistic vocation. He continued to draw and improve his technique in a self-taught way, while he became acquainted with important names in Bahian visual arts, such as Poncett (known for his seascapes), Raimundo Oliveira (painter of angels and prophets), Ivan Lopes and Jaime Hora (masters in the representation of houses).

Over time, he won a scholarship and entered the School of Fine Arts at UFBA, where he studied drawing under the guidance of professor Abrão Kosminky and deepened his technical knowledge in painting with master João José Resacala. It was in this academic environment that Edivaldo Assis developed his own style, combining regional references with refined technique, opening new perspectives for his career as one of the most important names in visual arts in Bahia.