Retrato de Dom Pedro I

Calixto's 'Retrato de Dom Pedro I,' painted in 1902, depicts Brazil's first emperor—the Portuguese prince who declared Brazilian independence in 1822 and reigned until his abdication in 1831. By 1902, Dom Pedro I had been dead for nearly seventy years, making this a retrospective historical portrait likely based on earlier daguerreotypes, prints, or existing painted likenesses. The Ipiranga Museum—repository of Brazilian national historical imagery—was the fitting home for a portrait of the founder-emperor, and Calixto's role as a painter of Brazilian historical subjects made him the appropriate artist for such a commission.

As a retrospective historical portrait, the work depends on existing visual sources for the emperor's likeness. Calixto aimed for dignified historical accuracy—the imperial regalia, bearing, and military accoutrements—rendered with the careful descriptive technique he deployed throughout his historical paintings.