MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
Museu dos BiscaInhos
Guide
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
Contents
CREDITS
title
publisher
Museu dos Biscainhos. Guide
© Instituto dos Museus e da Conservação
Palácio Nacional da Ajuda, Ala Sul, 4º Andar
1340-021 LISBON
www.ipmuseus.pt
editorial coordination
Museu dos Biscainhos
Teresa de Almeida d’Eça
Instituto dos Museus e da Conservação /
Divisão de Documentação e Divulgação
(Institute of Museums and Conservation /
Documentation and Communication Unit)
Clara Mineiro
1st Edition
Lisbon, July 2007
paper
Gardapat 150 gr
Modigliani Insize 145 gr
Introduction 6
The Museum, History and Collectionss 10
Museum Tour
Lobby and Staircase 18
Entrance Hall 24
conception and texts
Teresa de Almeida d’Eça
fonts
Collaboration
Margarida Sotto-Mayor Moreira
Benton Sans
Giza
FFScala
Great Hall 28
Oratory 36
Dais Room 42
Translation
Per Christopher Foster – CRS Translations
print run
1000 Exemplares
Music and Games Room 48
photography
isbn
Instituto dos Museus e da Conservação /
Divisão de Documentação Fotográfica
(Institute of Museums and Conservation /
Photographic Documentation Unit)
Coordinated by
Vitória Mesquita
José Pessoa
Photographer
José Pessoa assisted by Carlos Pombo
Arquivo de imagem do Museu dos
Biscainhos (Museu dos Biscainhos
Photographic Archive)
Photographers
Luis Ferreira Alves
Miguel Louro
João Paulo Sottomayor
Jorge Barros
972–776–218–2
Office 54
graphic design
Studio Andrew Howard
pre-printing, printing and finishing
Dining Room 58
legal deposit
230 907/05
Cloister 64
museu dos biscainhos
Private Chambers 68
Rua dos Biscainhos, 4700-415 BRAGA
Tel: 253 20 46 50
Fax: 253 20 46 58
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: www.ipmuseus.pt
Slave and Servants’ Quarters 72
Stables 76
Kitchen 80
acknowledgements
The Museu dos Biscainhos would like to
thank the following for their permission to reproduce the images contained in this Guide:
Arquivo Distrital de Braga / Universidade
do Minho
Biblioteca Nacional da Ajuda / Instituto Português do Património Arquitectónico
Biblioteca de Arte da Fundação Calouste
Gulbenkian.
Gardens 86
Notes 96
Bibliography 98
Gráfica Maiadouro
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
LEFT
Casa dos Biscainhos.
Ink and wash drawing on
paper. From Mappa das
Ruas de Braga (Map of the
Streets of Braga). 1750.
Arquivo Distrital de Braga.
FOLLOWING PAGE
MAPPA/(D)A/CIDADE/DE/
BRAGA PRI/MAS. Circa 1755.
André Ribeiro Soares da Silva
(attrib.). IPPAR/Biblioteca da
Ajuda.
Introduction
The Museu dos Biscainhos is housed
the chief emphasis of its museological
• the preservation of the original
in the inner world and domestic privacy
in a distinguished property that
work on researching and disseminating
structure of the palace and gardens
of a seigneurial house.
consists of a building and its gardens
information about daily life during the
and the characterisation of this
constructed and enlarged during the
ancien régime, an era of remarkable
heritage, which extends artistically
overall objective, the present guide
17th and 18th centuries – making it a
importance for Portuguese history.
from the Baroque to the neoclassical
provides a contextualized tour through
significant testimony to the Baroque
This decision stemmed from a
and Empire;
the tastes, traditions, emotions, art,
Within the scope of the museum’s
period – and improved during the first
considered assessment of several factors:
• consistency in the articulation of
thought and life of Portuguese society
half of the 19th. It therefore allows us a
• the relevant importance of the
the above points with the museum’s
during the period under analysis.
continued and synthesizing insight into
Baroque period for the Minho region
collections, namely, decorative arts,
the society and culture of the era for
and in particular for the city of Braga,
painting, sculpture and engravings
Museu dos Biscainhos, 2004.
the whole period in question.
the site of notable growth due to
dating from the centuries in question.
Teresa de Almeida d’Eça
From the middle of the nineteen
eighties, the museum opted to place
archiepiscopal power, in terms of a
The current contents of the museum
desired interrelationship between the
are presented as an examination of the
museum and its surroundings;
17th to early 19th centuries as reflected
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
The Museum,
History and
Collections
The Context
from Roman Empire
to archiepiscopal
fiefdom
afforded significant growth, especially
in the northwest. In the mid-seventeen
There followed a string of invasions,
hundreds, Braga had a population of
by the Suevi, Visigoths and Arabs, the
around 17,000, robust trade and
latter arriving at the beginning of the
significant industry, producing bells,
In 1750, the cathedral chapter, in order
eighth century.
sails, silk and damask, pieces of
to organise its vast built heritage,
In reaction to these successive
goldsmithery, tinsmithery and tanning.
which included a significant part of
attacks, efforts were made to revive
Cabinet-making, sculpture, carving and
Braga, conducted a series of surveys
Braga in the 11th century. In the
painting workshops proliferated.
that today constitute, in global terms,
The city of Braga, whose roots lie deep
following century, the Count and
in time, has a history going back two
Countess Dom Henrique and Dona
in particular, favourable conditions
interpreting life in an 18th century Eu-
thousand years and predates the
Teresa, in gratitude for the assistance
existed for the special development of
ropean city: the “Índice dos Prazos das
founding of the nation. It grew out of
provided during the struggle to found
art. Stimulated by the desire to serve
Casas do Cabido” (Index of the Leases
settlements inhabited by the Bracari
the nation, handed control of the city
God, the archbishops, wielders of great
of the Houses in the Chapter) and the
who, at the end of the 3rd century BC,
and its surroundings to the archbish-
power, intensively fomented the
“Mappa das Ruas de Braga” (Map of
were subjugated by the power of the
ops, who governed with absolute rule.
different expressions that enlarged
the Streets of Braga) – the latter “of
the city structure.
incalculable value for the study of soci-
Roman Empire.
“Bracara Augusta”, the Roman city,
Over the centuries, several notable
figures have stood out for their role in
In the heart of the Minho, and Braga
The prelates favoured buildings of a
a rare resource for understanding and
ology, urbanism, architecture and the
was elevated to the status of capital of
influencing the shape of the city,
religious nature, to which were added
history of art”1 – which documents the
the Roman province of Galecia in the
particularly Archbishop Dom Diogo de
several seigneurial houses belonging to
design of the facades of 4,064 houses
3rd century AD.
Sousa, who, in the 16th century,
the northern nobility, giving the city a
existing at the time.
imposed a new scale on the city that
monumental character that the 17th
Dating from around 1755 is an-
has woven the spiritual fabric of the
was simultaneously humanist and
and 18th centuries, the golden age of
other document of great interest, the
city, whose first bishop was consecrat-
grandiose, instigating the beginning of
the Baroque, consolidated in richness
“MAPPA (D)A CIDADE DE BRAGA PRI-
ed in the year 400.
a process of growth that has been
and opulence.
MAS” (MAP OF THE CITY OF BRAGA
Since that distant time, Christianity
continuous ever since.
In national terms, the 18th century
PRIMAS), attributed to André Soares.
This is a highly detailed record of the
represented a period of substantial
urban layout and respective place
economic prosperity stemming from
names that identifies thirty places of
the gold, diamonds and agricultural
worship, among them churches, chap-
goods brought from the Brazilian
els, convents and seminaries, as well as
colony. In addition, the expansion of
public and private buildings.
corn maize cultivation in Portugal
10
11
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
House and
Gardens
Nobility and
splendour
The imposing Great Hall, dating from
the first quarter of the 18th century and
“The house is an authentic
in this city and procurator-general of
incorporating artistic styles character-
document of the life of man ... It
the diocese. This minister was a tal-
istic of the Baroque period, was prob-
sums up an entire style of life and
ented and worthy man as he was Court
ably constructed at this time.
Some of the many artists who lived or
for that reason is an extremely
procurator in the year 1667 not only
Bearing in mind that the garden’s
worked in Braga include, among many
important element for the study
for the city but also for the province,
central axis constitutes an extension of
others, Manuel Fernandes da Silva, An-
of a society, whatever the era.”
unpaid and he managed to resolve vari-
the main entrance to the new facade, we
dré Soares, Carlos Amarante, Frei José
Carlos de Azevedo
ous things ... And it is through him that
can assume that the garden area was
de Santo António Vilaça, Marceliano de
it can be said that this noble house first
also structured during this significant
Araújo, Manuel Furtado de Mendonça
began to shine.” 6 .
enhancement 9. It should be remem-
and Agostinho Marques.
The Casa dos Biscainhos is located out-
Francisco Pereira da Silva, the third
side the medieval walls of the city, in the
son of the extremely powerful procura-
of the chapter, was the second most
ous for an extraordinary sense of
street after which it is named and that
tor and Dean of the cathedral chapter,
powerful person in Braga’s religious hi-
pomp, grandeur, luxury and ostentation
connects two important urban areas:
was responsible for significantly enlarg-
erarchy, and that this ambitious project
that manifested itself in the Baroque
campo da Vinha and campo das Hortas.
ing the building 7, a project for which he
would have been consistent with the rep-
Dr. Constantino Ribeiro do Lago
invited Manuel Fernandes da Silva, one
resentation of his power and influence.
The period in focus was conspicu-
3
feast, a sacred and profane event that
bered that the commissioner, as Dean
attained elevated levels of realization.
was one of the notable figures of the
of the most skilled artisans working in
In Braga, there were processions
age in which he lived (1619–1686). He
Braga, where he produced a notable
tury, the north wing of the palace, fac-
followed by gala cortèges, bullfights,
married Maria de Sousa e Silva on 21st
body of work, both as architect and
ing Rua dos Biscainhos, was extended
tournaments and jousting, games,
September 1655. 4
master mason, from the end of the 17th
upwards by a further floor that already
fancy-dress balls, comedies, light
century to the middle of the following.
registers some elements of a late
shows, bell-ringing, fireworks, theatre,
Braga native who lived in the 18th cen-
assemblies and orchestras. 2
tury, refers to him in his “Memórias”5 in
signed an agreement 8 to enlarge his
verifiable by a drawing of the building
the following terms: “He was a secular
houses in Rua dos Biscainhos, and the
noting the alteration in the aforemen-
associate judge and special magistrate
In sum, the Museu dos Biscainhos fits
Inácio José Peixoto, an illustrious
On 26th November 1712, the Dean
Still in the first half of the 18th cen-
Baroque style. The date of this work is
actual L-shaped facade, a common
tioned Mappa das Ruas de Braga (Map
context that emphasises the importance
feature of Baroque architecture from
of the Streets of Braga) of 1750.
of the museum’s current programme.
that century, was probably the work of
into a significant historical and artistic
If we look at the “Mappa da Cidade
the same artist. Of note is the fact that
de Braga Primas” (Map of the City of
the master mason made a cardboard
Braga Primas) (circa 1755), we can see
maquette for the job.
that the Biscainhos estate (building and
gardens) emerges as one of Braga’s
most important seigneurial houses.
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MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
The museum’s
origins
Discovering
the Collections
On 24th February 1954, at a meeting of
the Junta de Província do Minho (Minho
Provincial Council), the then president,
Dr. Felicíssimo do Vale Rego Campos,
bearing in mind the healthy state of the
It is assumed that for the occasion
body’s finances and in the context of its
Once the work had been completed,
The collections of the Museu dos
of the wedding of Maria Angelina de
respective duties, presented a proposal
the canon Arlindo Ribeiro da Cunha,
Biscainhos have been structured
Eça Montenegro to Damião Pereira
for the creation of a museum for which
an integral member of the council’s
around the donations and bequests of
da Silva de Sousa de Meneses in 1791
immediate approval was obtained.
administration, strove to raise aware-
local benefactors, particularly those
ness of the museum within the local
of Dr. José Maria da Costa Júnior and
– from whose union would be born the
The project became reality nearly a
1st Count of Bertiandos – the building
decade later, on 25th March 1963, after
community in the aim of encouraging
his wife, Mrs. Maria Celeste Ribeiro da
would have undergone improvements,
the acquisition of the Palácio dos Bis-
donations for the creation of the muse-
Costa Júnior and Mrs. Maria Delfina
identifiable as the creation of the Dining
cainhos from the 3rd Viscount of Paço
um’s future collection.
Gomes da Silva e Matos de Sousa Car-
Room, just as it appears to the public
de Nespereira, Dr. Gaspar Lobo Mach-
today, with paintings on the walls, neo-
ado do Amaral Cardoso de Meneses.
Committee was established made up of
enlarged through systematic endow-
classical azulejo (tile) wainscots and or-
Given the historical and artistic
Mrs. Maria Emília Amaral Teixeira, Mrs.
ments and loans from private individuals and public bodies.
For its inauguration, an Installation
doso. These have been progressively
namental ceilings featuring stucco and
importance, size and central urban
Maria Clementina Quaresma and the
landscape paintings. From that period
location of the estate, which had been
architect Mr. Roberto Leão. The Museu
and entering the 19th century, some of
classified as a listed building by Decree
dos Biscainhos opened to the public on
the category of decorative arts, refer-
the palace’s other ceilings would have
no. 37.366 of 5th April 1949, this was an
11th February 1978.
ence being made, among others, to
been decorated with artistic stucco
extraordinary opportunity.
closely associated with equally neoclassical paintings.
On 17th March 1987, Decree-Law
The current collections fall within
furniture, Portuguese, European and
The process advanced through
no. 133 transferred responsibility for
Chinese ceramics, Portuguese and Eu-
the efforts in 1964 of the architect
the technical and administrative run-
ropean glassware, textiles, goldsmith-
Alberto da Silva Bessa, then head
ning of the Museu dos Biscainhos from
ery, and metalwork and weaponry.
the north-facing wing, with wall and
of the Direcção Geral dos Edifícios e
the Assembleia Distrital de Braga 10
ceiling paintings in the Empire style,
dos Monumentos Nacionais do Norte
to the then Instituto Português do
guese and European painting, sculp-
featuring eagle, bee and laurel wreath
(Department of National Buildings and
Património Cultural and, in 1991, it
ture, drawings, engravings, means
motifs, among others, are thought to be
Monuments in the North), to draw up a
was transferred again to the Instituto
of transport and ethnography. The
from the beginning of the 19th century,
plan to restore the building and adapt it
Português de Museus (Portuguese In-
Archaeology section is currently on
to the role of a museum.
stitute of Museums), now Instituto dos
loan to the city’s Museu Regional de
has provided us an opportunity to turn
Museus e da Conservação (Institute of
Arqueologia D. Diogo de Sousa.
into a museum and to place at the serv-
Museums and Conservation), to which
ice of one and all.
it is currently attached.
The decorations to the interiors in
This then is the heritage that history
14
The collection also includes Portu-
15
MUSEU DOS BISCAINHOS
16