Art and Patronage in Eighteenth-Century Portugal

This important contribution to eighteenth-century European studies is the first to explore the relationship between artists, patrons, collectors and connoisseurs in Portugal in the period. The book also discusses artistic theory and the role of the academies. Angela Delaforce describes the splendour and magnificent ceremonial of the court of the Bragança monarch, Dom João V, adorned with works of art he commissioned from the leading masters in Italy and France and made possible by the fabulous wealth arriving from colonial Brazil. The royal palace, with its patriarchal church, collection and library, once famed throughout Europe, were lost in the earthquake of 1755, which destroyed the heart of Lisbon and led to the building of the new city in a coherent modern style. The author has gathered together a wealth of previously unpublished archival material discovered in Portugal and Italy to trace the development of these fascinating patterns of international patronage and to bring an entirely new perspective to our understanding of the period.

• Lavishly illustrated exploration of the eighteenth-century Portuguese court and its artists • Examines not only paintings, but also sculpture, architecture, and drawing • Of interest to collectors and connoisseurs as well as to art historians

Abbreviations; List of illustrations; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Prologue: the Conquest of India and the Paço da Ribeira; 2. The Adornment of the Paço da Ribeira and Dom João V’s ‘Precious Treasury’; 3. The Great Library at the Paço da Ribeira; 4. Art and Diplomacy: the Marquês de Abrantes and the Splendour of his Embassy to Rome; 5. The ‘New Solomon’: Dom João V and ‘An Image of the Celestial Court on Earth’; 6. ‘Good Taste and Opulence’: Collecting by the Clergy and Nobility; 7. The Church as Patron: the ‘Universal Artist’ in Northern Portugal; 8. The Court of Dom José I and the New Lisbon: Grandeur and Vanity; 9. Collectors and Connoisseurs in Late Eighteenth-century Portugal; 10. Academia: Art, Theory and Design; Appendix; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

‘Impeccably written and superbly illustrated … Angela Delaforce is to be congratulated for patiently bringing together the widely scattered contemporary references and descriptions of the artists and their works.’ Anglo-Portuguese Society Newsletter

‘There is no question that this publication will prove invaluable to scholars in this field. In addition to providing a highly readable narrative text, with good illustrations, the extensive bibliography and plentiful references are bound to lead to a greater understanding of Portuguese art of the period.’ Apollo

‘A truly impressive wealth of unpublished documents … Delaforce succeeds in showing that Portugal is a country of hidden treasures.’ The Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians

‘… a beautifully written and imaginatively illustrated volume … the scholarship which has gone into it is formidable, but is presented with a nice fusion of grace and verve.’ Rivista

‘Monumental and entertaining study … Delaforce’s book is lavishly illustrated and handsomely produced with colour plates, black and white engravings and photographs of the highest standard, as well as being supported by an extensive bibliography and a full index of persons and places. It will take its place as a major work of reference for future generations of scholars.’ Anglo-Portuguese News