Pedro Cruz Museum

Category: Civil Architecture > Museum

District: Leiria > Pedrógão Grande > Pedrógão Grande > Tapada da Ladeira

Location

The Pedro Cruz Museum is located in the village of Pedrógão Grande, within the Tapada da Ladeira area. The building is situated in the lower part of Quinta da Tapada, adapting to the natural slope of the terrain.

Located in Largo da Devesa, the museum is positioned in a peri-urban setting, adjacent to a wall that delimits the property. Access is via a staircase to the upper floor and a forecourt to the ground floor, following the site's configuration.

The Work and the Artist

José Pedro Cruz (1888-1980), artistically known as Pedro Cruz, was a Portuguese figurative painter. His training included studies in Lisbon with masters such as José Malhoa, then moving to Paris in 1906, where he attended the renowned Académie Julian for four years. There, he was a disciple of painters such as Jean Paul Laurens (historical painting), Baschet (portrait), and Henry Royer (landscape), deepening his technical mastery.

Pedro Cruz distinguished himself by his mastery in composing the human figure and by his use of pencil, being recognized for his ability to capture the line of a face, the expression of feelings, or the recording of everyday moments and work activities. He remained faithful to classicism throughout his career, distancing himself from the modernist currents of the time.

The Museum's Collection

The museum houses the extensive collection of the painter Pedro Cruz, resulting from the donation made by his son to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Pedrógão Grande. The collection includes a variety of works, from paintings and drawings to medals, books, and other personal objects of the artist.

His drawings and sketches, considered of high quality in the Portuguese academic sphere, deserve particular mention. The collection documents the different phases of Cruz's career, including works resulting from the interruption of his painting activity to dedicate himself to the textile industry, where he created designs for stamping, and also canvases inspired by his travels in Africa, namely Angola and Mozambique.

The Historic Building

The building that houses the Pedro Cruz Museum is a 19th-century construction. Originally, it was part of Quinta da Tapada, serving as a wealthy house and, specifically in the current museum space, as the property's old stables.

The property has an irregular plan, composed of two volumes that articulate horizontally, following the natural slope of the terrain. Its architecture is distinguished by roofs of different pitches and facades punctuated by various openings. The interior was adapted for its museological function in 1986, maintaining an open and differentiated space between the two floors, connected by a staircase.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt