Portuguese Art and Cultural Heritage

This Research Group was created to promote the study of Portuguese artists and artisans, and the works produced by them in territories connected to the Portuguese diaspora. Thus, this group aims at giving a significant contribution to the Portuguese Art History since the Middle Ages up to the 20th century. Coordination by Lúcia Rosas.

To pursue this aim, we intend to analyse the volume and diversity of the work and the know-how existing in Portugal, especially in the Northern region of the country, highlighting the importance of some cities such as Porto and Braga, as two of the most important centres for artistic production, and as an important area for the export of artists.

Our aim is also to analyse artistic forms and objects, particularly religious related sculptures and gold and silver artefacts; to study the internal and external mobility of artists and their activities in the Portuguese-speaking world, being Brazil our first stage; to organize inventories of artists and artisans to overcome the current lack of information and increase the production of Master’s and PhD thesis in this scientific area, aiming at giving a real contribution to the thorough knowledge of our heritage.

It is the intention of this Research Group to continue the exhaustive documentary and bibliographic survey on active artists during the above mentioned period, allowing the creation of a corpus of artists and artisans from Portuguese-speaking countries, as well as the expansion of our database, which we wish to turn into an essential tool for all researchers interested in Portuguese Art History, allowing the international promotion of artists and their works.

This effort will lead us to a closer perspective on the work produced by the Portuguese and the influence that it is still noticeable in different countries, from America to Africa and Asia, with the affirmation of a typical, idiosyncratic taste.

All researchers, especially at this stage, in Portugal and Brazil, are encouraged to study the role of our artists and show the results of their studies in the seminars we organize, not only to divulge to the scientific community the recent findings and reflexions on the subject, but also to strengthen our cultural relations and protect our common cultural heritage.