The Rococo
King D. João V was succeeded by his son King D. José. The abundance of resources sustained the politics of splendour, based in diamonds and precious metals from Brazil, allowing for an architecture of luxury and modern decorative programmes, after Rococo. During the period Portugal survived its worst natural catastrophe and one of the worst in Europe - the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.
Rococo gilded woodcarving is subdivided into several currents or regional styles, allowing it to maintain variety and originality, from north to south. Shells, angels, volutes, leaves, puti, columns, spiral columns (pseudo-salomonic), painted materials and a lot of gold are its formal vocabulary.
Two major variations developed around Lisbon. Some works followed the royal house, characterized by elegance and the quality of the decorative motives, but with the Rococo vocabulary, and with influences remaining from the Joanina woodcarving and the chapel of São João Baptista in the Church of São Roque. Example include:
- Chapel of the Queluz National Palace – With painted materials simulating colour marbles, some gilded woodcarving, very elegant with a classic touch.
- Main altar in Madre de Deus convent in Lisbon - With Joanina influence, keeping gallery and throne, it has the typical vocabulary of Rococo. It is completely golden and perfectly integrated in the building.
The pombaline churches developed a different expressin. The earthquake reconstruction used prefabricated materials. These buildings have internal Rococo decoration, painted materials in wood and plaster, gallery and throne in the main altar, columns, architectural forms, a few golden shapes, some painting (the work of Pedro Alexandrino de Carvalho is the most important) and sculpture. Examples include: Church of Santo António of Lisbon (built in the birthplace of St. Anthony), Church of the Encarnação, Magdalena Church and Basilica of Nossa Senhora dos Mártires. In less destroyed buildings, the aim was to harmonise the pombaline shapes with existing decor.
The non-sacred ("profane") French influence was visible. It was characterized by sumptuous decorations in gilded woodcarvings and/or plaster simulating materials, normally inside palaces. It was popular among the aristocracy. The main example is the throne room of the Queluz National Palace.
In the area of Coimbra a regional school started with the main altarpiece of the Church of the Monastery of Santa Cruz. Structures are Rococo, but the pombaline influence is obvious in painted marbles, columns, gallery and throne. The influence of "Joanina", mainly in the upper conclusion, with cute fronton and angel-like sculptures is visible.
The north of Portugal developed an impressive list of Rococo altarpieces, fusing Rococo and “Joanino”. The works were completely golden, associated with painting or sculpture.
Around Braga, thanks to the work of André Soares another regional school developed, characterized by the fusion of colour and gold, in altarpieces of great elegance and quality. These augur the approaching Classicist period. Examples are:
- Church of the Monastery of Tibães – Main altarpiece, arch of triumph and monumental organ.
- Carmo Church (Porto) - Chapel.
- Church of Nossa Senhora da Vitória (Porto) – Main altarpiece.
- Church of Santa Maria Madalena (Braga) - called Chapel of Falperra – Main altarpiece.
In southern Portugal woodcarving is less common because of the abundance of marble, obviating the need to develop timber structures imitating marble.. Notable examples in the Alentejo and Algarve are different from the rest of the country. This originality is particularly visible in Évora, in:
- Convent of Carmo (Évora)
- Convent of Remédios (Évora) - Absolutely remarkable.
- Convent of São José (Évora)
- Church of Mercês (Évora)
- São Francisco Church (Faro) - Remarkable mixture of gilded woodcarving and tile.
Carriages continued to bear carvings and gilt. The reign of Queen D. Maria I produced the latest major examples exhibited in the Museu Nacional dos Coches.
Read more about this topic: Gilded Woodcarving In Portugal
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