The Four Primordial Virtues
The creation of a code of moral conduct for the wise and virtuous man is one of the fundamental objectives of humanist literature.
The Equestrian Portrait of D. Fernando Mascarenhas
Portraits have some tradition in Portuguese tiles and are often associated with a historical narrative.
The Wise Laughter of Democritus
One of the fables of La Fontaine, illustrated on the tiles of the Royal School of the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, recounts the story of the philosopher Democritus, who, when contemplating the daily life of his fellow citizens, laughed without ceasing.
The Talking Animals
Literature for the education of young people has a long tradition in Western culture. The tales, the parables, and the verses are so ingrained in the general literature that we often forget that they were conceived with a precise pedagogical purpose.
The Four Ages of Love
With some frequency, gender painting seems to transcend the field of visual arts to reflect changes in social behaviors.
The Triumph of a New Dynasty
The palace and gardens of the Marqueses de Fronteira, an exemplary piece of Portuguese civil architecture of the 17th century, find their model in the programs of the Triumphal Entries, in which the cities celebrate the enthronement of a new monarch or the royal weddings.
The Laughter of the Monkey World
On the benches that surround the tank of one of the gardens of Quinta dos Marqueses de Fronteira, there is one tile panel with a representation of singeries. It was a satirical image and a invitation to spend free hours, without social constraints, in the garden.
Carlota Joaquina, the Beautiful Princess of Brazil
The history kept the memory of the ugliness of Queen Carlota Joaquina, of a wanton life with numerous lovers, fame fed by the Portuguese Civil War (1828-1834), and her support for D. Miguel.
A Black Slave Woman in the Kitchen
The representation of a black slave woman tending a fish in the kitchen of the Sousa Mexia Palace, currently the headquarters of the Lisbon Museum, is an essential complement to the furniture and indicates the form of social occupation of this space.
The Familiar Chinoiserie of the Rebelo de Andrade Palace
The taste and fashion of the chinoiserie were the direct result of Europe’s interactions with the East, within the framework of building a global trade network.
The Twelve Knights of England in the Gardens of the Marquis de Fronteira
The gardens of the Quinta dos Marqueses de Fronteira, in Lisbon, form a unique set that combines sculpture, tiles, and cladding to celebrate the triumph of the heroes of the Portuguese Restoration Wars (1640-1668) and the establishment of the new Bragança dynasty.
The Chinoiserie of a Wealthy Merchant House in Lisbon
The tiles made to the wealthy merchant António Pereira’s house, currently applied over the benches and flowerbeds flanking the main entrance of the Sobralinho Palace, in Vila Franca de Xira, are one of the best examples of the peculiar way in which images of exotic countries are shaped to adjust to the taste and objectives…
Architects and Tiles
The tiles made for the stairways of 18th-century palaces in Lisbon are one of the most evident examples of the close relationship between the design of architecture and the ornamentation that ennobles these spaces. They are also evidence that the hand of architects often guided the renovation of tiles.
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Portuguese Tiles 