Rua da Quitanda, 1858

Calixto's 'Rua da Quitanda, 1858,' painted in 1901, documents a central street in Santos as it appeared in the mid-nineteenth century—a retrospective historical reconstruction of the colonial commercial city before its port modernisation. Rua da Quitanda was a major commercial artery, and Calixto's painting of it in its 1858 form represents his consistent project of preserving visual records of São Paulo state's urban past. The Ipiranga Museum—dedicated to Brazilian historical memory—was the appropriate institutional home for such retrospective urban documentation.

The challenge of this historical reconstruction is capturing the architectural character of mid-century Santos—colonial street facades, commercial signage, and the quality of Brazilian coastal light—with convincing period accuracy. Calixto combines descriptive architecture with figures that animate the street scene.