About

Azul e Ouro – Esmaltes em Portugal da Época Medieval à Época Moderna


The Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis has opened the exhibition Azul e Ouro – Esmaltes em Portugal da Época Medieval à Época Moderna, dedicated exclusively and for the first time in Portugal to artistic enamel. The exhibition is one of the «founding» pieces of the Museum's collection, a series of 26 enamel plaques painted in the 16th century, from the Monastery of Santa Cruz de Coimbra, to bring together and compare in an unprecedented way various enamel techniques applied in a sumptuous set of liturgical, devotional and ornament objects.

The pieces that will be exhibited were produced between the 12th and 19th centuries, especially in the workshops in the Limoges region, renowned as the most prestigious. There are several depictions of this singular and demanding technique of ornamentation as is the enamel. The exhibition will bring to Porto several national treasures, including the triptych of the Passion of Christ from the Museu Nacional Frei Manuel do Cenáculo, one of the enamel pieces existing in our country with the greatest international recognition.

The “Azul e Ouro” exhibition also includes other highly prestigious pieces such as two vaults from the Cathedral of Viseu, 12th century pieces coveted by the illicit antiques market, stolen in 1980 and found years later in Milan in a joint action by the Portuguese Detective Force (Polícia Judiciária) and Interpol, or a book binding plate from the late 12th century, early 13th century, accidentally found in an excavation between Leiria and the Monastery of Batalha.

The last section of the exhibition is dedicated to the revivals, replicas and counterfeiting that were produced on a large scale throughout Europe, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, enchanting and deceiving the eyes of museum conservators and private collectors in Europe and in the U.S.

When

Tuesday to Sunday: 10am to 6pm

Gallery

Location

Location

Soares dos Reis National Museum

Museums & Thematic Centres