From 1932 to 1933 Alberto Valença exhibited his paintings in the showcase of the renowned Georges Petit Gallery in Rio de Janeiro, which was a branch of Georges Petit Gallery in Paris. During his stay in Rio de Janeiro he worked mainly on portraits, like the ones of Ana Cerqueira
Lima and Cardinal Sebastião Leme, which belongs to the Holy Sacrament Brotherhood of Candelária (Rio de Janeiro).
He participated in the National Saloon of Fine Arts, when he was awarded a silver medal for Mrs. Ana Cerqueira Lima’s portrait.

Mrs. Cerqueira Lima had been portrayed by painter Franco Sá in Paris when she was young. She had been beautiful and didn’t want to be portrayed by anyone else, probably to avoid facing the old age marks. One of her relatives told her: “Ms. Nanã (her nickname), you are a very kind lady, you like helping people. There is a young painter from Bahia who has plenty of talent and needs help. Wouldn’t you be ready to help him?” She was convinced and allowed to be painted by Valença in her own house. It was difficult to find the appropriate scenery, among the precious pieces that were part of the decoration. Finally the painter brought an old coat and placed it on the back of the chair she was sitting. It was used as a background.

SPÍNOLA, Vera. Conversando com a Pintura de Alberto Valença: Um romance biográfico. p. 93.