Frei Pedro
Never had a fisherman became as famous as the old inhabitant of the convent who lived surround by brushes, canvases and watercolors. By the river, near the sober and imposing building, all those who wore scales wanted to be hunted by that strange monk. It was no wonder. They knew that, sooner or later, they would take someone’s bait, and with the artist monk they had the opportunity to perpetuate their existence in a coveted work of art. The fisherman monk did not fish from the river to satisfy his hunger, gluttony or to make money. He did it so he could draw trout, eels and perches with the same passion with which Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.
Word of mouth has always been the more efficient publicity and Brother Pedro’s watercolor paintings became a magnificent bait in fundraising for charitable actions. The auctions organized by the convent were attended by the most demanding collectors. They only had one request: to go home with a canvas signed by “Frei Pedro – O pescador”. In the world of the arts, his paintings were a big fish.