NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ANCIENT ART

Description

Essentials about the National Museum of Ancient Art in brief

Lovers of ancient art should not miss a visit to the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art) during a trip to Lisbon. The MNAA is one of the most important European museums for ancient art and is considered one of the most important museums in Portugal.

The history of the National Museum of Ancient Art

The historical origin of the National Museum of Ancient Art dates back to 1834 when, in the course of secularization, the works of art of numerous churches and convents in Portugal were lost or destroyed. In 1882, a restrospective of Portuguese and Spanish decorative arts was assembled. The exhibition, shown in the 17th century Alvor Palace, was a great success. The Portuguese government then decided to consolidate the state art collections for a permanent exhibition at the Alvor Palace. In 1884, the National Museum of Ancient Art was officially opened in the palace.

The starting point of the National Museum of Ancient Art’s collection was the exhibits from the 1882 exhibition. In 1893, the archaeological collections were moved out, which can now be seen in the National Archaeology Museum, and in 1911, the contemporary art holdings were transferred to the newly founded Museu do Chiado. After the proclamation of the Republic in 1910, the collection was expanded to include large holdings owned by the royal family. Since then, the collection has continued to grow through donations and endowments.

The exhibitions of the National Museum of Ancient Art

An important focus of the permanent exhibition of the National Museum of Ancient Art are the works of the masters of the Portuguese School. One masterpiece is the St. Vincent Altarpiece by Nuno Gonçalves, probably created between 1450 and 1460, which consists of six panels with a total of 60 portraits. Other important Portuguese artists such as Frei Carlos, Vasco Fernandes, Cristóvão Figueiredo, Gregório Lopes, Vieira Portuense and Domingos Sequeira are also represented in the collection.

In addition to Portuguese artists, numerous works by other artists also establish the museum’s reputation. For example, by Hieronymus Bosch, The Temptation of St. Anthony, and by Albrecht Dürer, St. Jerome, can be seen in the museum. Also among the European masters on display are Pieter Brueghel the Younger, Piero della Francesca, Jan Gossaert, Hans Holbein the Elder, Pieter de Hooch, Quentin Matsys, Hans Memling, Raphael, Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Zurbarán.

In addition to the collection of paintings, the museum contains collections of religious sculpture from the Middle Ages to the Baroque, including cribs by Machado de Castro that are well worth seeing, and wonderful specimens from the field of decorative arts. Portuguese and Oriental ceramics, furniture, carpets and other textile arts are also exhibited.

A special mention must be made of the important collection of gold and silversmith work and beautiful silver centerpieces made for the Portuguese royal family. The National Museum of Ancient Art also reflects Portugal’s colonial past with its rich collection of valuable decorative art from Africa, India and China.