António Cruz was considered by his contemporaries to be shy and averse to public life, which didn't stop him from being considered by many to be "the greatest Portuguese watercolourist". And the subject of António Cruz's watercolours is almost singular: the city of Porto.

Born into a humble background, he entered the Faculty of Fine Arts in Porto unbeknownst to his parents. Later, having to interrupt his course due to a lack of means, and despite the social isolation he committed himself to, he was the target of a wave of solidarity from his fellow students, who managed to nominate him for a scholarship. In 1962, he was accepted as a professor at the very same college where he had originally studied with effort and in secret.

In his misty landscapes with their dark hues, it's easy to recognise the city's places, even though most of his works are untitled. In 1956, Manoel de Oliveira made a documentary that made this dedication to Porto evident, calling it The Painter and the City.