This downloadable catalogue accompanies the exhibition of Leopoldo Martins presented by our gallery in Dubai in 2018, during the International Jewellery & Watch Show (JWS). For this edition, the fair invited the artist as an honorary Brazilian guest, offering a dedicated space for the presentation of his sculptural work to the Middle Eastern public. The exhibition highlighted the expressive force and refinement of his bronze sculptures within an international context.

Leopoldo Martins (born 1961 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil) developed his artistic path within a family tradition of sculpture. His uncle Meschesse, founder of the Sculpture Department of the Fine Arts School at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, played a decisive role in shaping his early interest in art. As described in the original catalogue, “Young, Leopoldo Martins started studying art and design and soon developed his drawing techniques,” a foundation that later evolved into a profound engagement with three‑dimensional form.

After graduating in Industrial Design in 1982, Martins deepened his research into volume and movement, eventually becoming a pupil of the Brazilian modernist sculptor Sonia Ebling for nearly a decade. This period marked the beginning of his full dedication to sculpture and led to the creation of his first major series, Felines, exhibited at the National Museum of Fine Arts of Rio de Janeiro in 2003. According to the document, “The success of the ‘Felines’ series immediately helped to promote his evolution on the contemporary art scene,” establishing his presence in both national and international markets.

His career has since expanded significantly. In 2016, he was commissioned to create the diptych Saint Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio as a gift to Pope Francis, now installed at the Vatican. His works also belong to important collections in Brazil, Europe, and Asia, including the Brennan Art Collection in Recife and the Jing’an Sculpture Park Museum in Shanghai, where his monumental Giant Walking Panther is installed.

This catalogue presents a curated selection of sculptures that reflect the blend of Brazilian Baroque, Modernist, and Contemporary influences that shape Martins’ work. As noted in the document, “Leopoldo Martins artwork is a blend of all interesting aesthetical aspects of Brazilian Art,” revealing his detailed observation of nature, his passion for wild animals, and his mastery of form and gesture.

The original printed catalogues produced for the Dubai exhibition and for previous institutional presentations are now sold out, making this digital edition the only available way to access the material. It offers collectors, researchers, and art enthusiasts an accessible and comprehensive overview of the artist’s trajectory, his technical development, and the international recognition he has achieved.

This downloadable edition provides a meaningful opportunity to explore the work of a sculptor whose career continues the lineage of great artists from Minas Gerais and to discover one of the most distinctive contemporary voices in Brazilian sculpture.