Category: Civil Architecture > Museum
District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Santos-o-Velho
Located in the Santos-o-Velho area of Lisbon, the National Museum of Ancient Art is situated on Rua das Janelas Verdes. This part of the city, close to the Tejo River, offers an environment that complements the visit. From the museum's garden, for instance, it is possible to enjoy a view over the Tejo, a setting that invites a peaceful break.
The museum occupies an architectural complex with a rich history, centered around a palace built in the late 17th century. This building, which was once a noble residence, has been adapted over time to house and expand the museum space. The complex also incorporates areas where the former Convent of Santo Alberto once stood. Within the museum's exhibition route, visitors can find the convent's 17th-century chapel, with its remarkable decoration in gilded carving, painting, and tiles.
The National Museum of Ancient Art houses the most important public art collection in Portugal, covering a vast period from the 12th century to the mid-19th century. Its collection, with tens of thousands of pieces, offers a comprehensive overview of artistic production from this period. It includes painting, sculpture, drawing, and a wide diversity of decorative arts. These works have been gathered over time, originating from convents, churches, and royal palaces, thus telling a significant part of the cultural and artistic history of the country and Europe.
As you explore the museum's rooms, some works stand out for their artistic and historical importance. The Panels of Saint Vincent, generally attributed to Nuno Gonçalves, are a fundamental masterpiece of 15th-century Portuguese painting, notable for how they portray figures from the society of the time. The Monstrance of Belém, an impressive piece of early 16th-century goldsmithing, is another treasure of great symbolic value. The Namban Screens offer a fascinating visual record of the arrival of the Portuguese in Japan, illustrating the encounter of cultures. The museum also exhibits works by European masters such as Bosch, Dürer, Raphael, and Cranach, allowing visitors to appreciate different international artistic schools and styles.
The museum's collection extends far beyond painting and sculpture, featuring a rich array of decorative arts. It is possible to find pieces of ceramics, furniture, goldsmithing, textiles, and ivories. These collections showcase not only the mastery of artisans throughout the centuries but also the cultural and commercial influences that linked Portugal to Europe, Africa, and the East. For instance, the goldsmithing collection includes sacred pieces of great historical value and a sumptuous silver service that belonged to the Portuguese royal family. The ceramics, in turn, demonstrate the evolution of national production and the strong influence of Chinese porcelain.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.704626,-9.161813
Coordinates DMS: 38°42'16.7"N 09°09'42.5"W
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