Known for his incredible landscape work such as the wide, green spaces of the Aterro Flamengo and the MAM, Roberto Burle Marx was also an avid painter, from canvases to decorative tiles, as evidenced on the walls of his stunning former home in Guaratiba.

This showcase at the Correios cultural centre presents 120 of his designs and illustrations,  the majority never before seen by the public and spanning a period from 1919, when he was at the tender age of 10, through to the '40s. The exhibition includes various works using a myriad of materials from charcoal to ink split across two rooms, the first dedicated to portraits, nudes and figurative sketches that lean on the technical use of light, shade and proportions of the human body.

The second half presents diverse, everyday scenes in which boxes, tables and cups represent the ambience of bars and restaurants, populated by characters including riflemen, sailors and billiard players with whom the observer feels compelled to exchange glances thanks to Marx's lively style. An excellent look at the lesser-known side of the landscaper's artistic talents.