The Artístic Collection of the Sculptor João da Silva:

The Contribution of the Study and Museological Inventory

of a Legacy to be Unveiled

Photography of João da Silva sculpt a model in clay, in his atelier (CMJS947).

Arlinda Maria Eugénio Fortes

PHD student, Faculdade de Belas Artes, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
Research grant, Sociedade Nacional de Belas-Artes, Lisboa, Portugal
CIEBA - Faculty’s research center, Lisboa, Portugal
 Serie of pieces in clay “Cabritos” (CMJS942).

BACKGROUND AND PROBLEMS AROUND THE ARTISTIC

COLLECTION OF THE SCULPTOR JOÃO DA SILVA

I) Litigation between the daughter and heiress of the sculptor

and the Sociedade Nacional de Belas Artes
II) Years of legal proceedings
III) The importance of the museological inventory
PRESENTING JOÃO DA SILVA

Born in Lisbon on December 1, 1880.

1893: at age of 13, he works for the altelier of Casa

Leitão & Irmão - Jewelers of the Portuguese Crown.

At the same time he study chiseling at Afonso

Domingos School.

1899: traveled to Paris, and began to work in

the first atelier of carving in Paris, directed by
the french sculptor Eugene-Baptiste Doumenc
(1873-1943).

Through a three-year scholarship, he graduated from

the goldsmith-engraver course at École des Arts
Décoratifs.

Paris: study medal at the School of Fine Arts, under

Jules-Clément Chaplain (1839-1909).

After 6 years: returned to Portugal and teach at the

Marques de Pombal School, the course of Drawing
and Modeling.

Picture of João da Silva (CMJS940).

PRESENTING JOÃO DA SILVA
1932: settle definitively in Lisbon, in his
house-atelier in Tenente Raul Teixeira street.
Constructed according to João da Silva’s own
guidelines.

Live in this house until his death on March 6, 1960.

The house-atelier and its artistic collection, was

donate in testament (1952), to the Sociedade
Nacional de Belas-Artes, with the express purpose of
maintaining it as a House-Museum, with its filling and
artistic collection.

Interior detail of the House-Museum,

Exterior view of the House-Museum, Photografy by Nuno Botelho
In lisboapatrimoniocultural.pt In Expresso newspaper (november 8, 2003, p. 18)
Interior of the exhibition gallery in the House Museum.
Interior of the atelier in the House Museum.
WORKS REPRESENTED IN PUBLIC SPACES,
AND MUSEOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS,
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
 PUBLIC SPACES
in Portugal

Monument to Júlio Dinis, Oporto, 1925. Monument to the Combatants of the Monument to the Combatants of the Great
(Portuguese physician and writer) Great War of Évora, 1933 War of Valença do Minho, 1951
 PUBLIC SPACES
Monument to children killed in
the Great War (1914-1918) in
Pouliguen, France

Monuments project and protection João da Silva next to the sculpture for the Monument to the children died in the Great
railing (CMJS707; CMJS709). Monument to the children died in the War (1914-1918) in Pouliguen, France.
Photos by Arlinda Fortes Great War in Pouliguen, in his Paris atelier.
(CMJS965)
 MUSEOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS

“Cofre de Cidadania”, 1907 “Coroação de Nossa Senhora de Fátima”, 1947 “Campino”, 1923
SILVA, João da (1880-1960), SILVA, João da (1880-1960), SILVA, João da (1880-1960),
Silver chiseled and engraved golden silver Bronze Bronze
34,3 x 26,2 x 37 cm Ø 8 cm 67,4 x 53 x 15 cm
Inventory Number 4804 Inventory Number Med 9 Inventory Number 762
Palácio Nacional da Ajuda Museu José Malhoa Museu do Chiado – MNAC
in www.matriznet.dgpc.pt in www.matriznet.dgpc.pt in www.matriznet.dgpc.pt
STUDIE AND MUSEOLOGICAL INVENTORY
RESULTS

November 9, 2018 - June 17, 2019

DISTRIBUTION AND QUANTIFICATION OF ARTISTIC OBJECTS BY CATEGORY
Museological inventory.
Data collected between November 9, 2018 and June 17, 2019

MEDALS
213

METALS

1044
DRAWING
467 108

objects

SCULPTURE
71

STAMPS AND SEALS

58
INVESTIGATION AND DEVELOPMENT
1 PHOTOGRAPHY
34
PAINTING EQUIPMENT AND TOOLS
2 19

NUMISMATIC ADORNMENT
6 17

JEWELLERY
DOCUMENTARY ASSET
14
10
ENGRAVING
POTTERY
12
11
FIFTH CENTENARY OF THE DEATH OF
INFANTE D. HENRIQUE
Medal

Obverse and reverse of commemorative medal. “V Centenário da Morte do Infante D. Henrique”, 1960,
SILVA, João da (1880-1960), Bronze, Ø 10 cm, (CMJS173/1). Photo by Arlinda Fofrtes, 2018
 DRAWINGS
Studies and changes in the medal
of the "XXV aniversário do Banco de
Angola" (CMJS366; CMJS656).
Photo by Arlinda Fortes, 2018/19
Portrait. Painter Pedro Guedes, 1945,
SILVA, João da (1880-1960),
graphite on paper,
32,6 x 24,9 cm (CMJS953).
Photo by Arlinda Fortes, 2019
BUST OF THE REPUBLIC
Sculture

Small scale study.

“Busto da Républica”, 1910
SILVA, João da (1880-1960)
Bronze, 28,3 x 7,91 x 12,5 cm
(CMJS91)
Photo by Arlinda Fortes, 2018
João da Silva to pose next to the sculpture of
the bust, in his atelier In Ilustração Portugueza
magazine (June 1911, front page)
FIRST GOLD COIN OF THE
PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC
Numismatic

Obverse and reverse coin. ”5 escudos”, 1943

SILVA, João da (1880-1960)
Metal, Ø 2,5 cm. (CMJS213)
Photo by Arlinda Fortes, 2018

Reverse coin. ”20 escudos ”, 1953

SILVA, João da (1880-1960)
Obverse “Fortuna pelo Trabalho (estudo)”, 1916 Bronze, Ø 10 cm. (CMJS223)
SILVA, João da (1880-1960) Photo by Arlinda Fortes, 2018
Metal, Ø 2,3 cm. (CMJS237)
Photo by Arlinda Fortes, 2018
 CONCLUSION
... to project his brand nationally, but also internationally
... the museological inventory, a continuing and open process
... validate the identity of the sculptor and the project of the João da Silva House-Museum
... reintroducing his artistic landmark in national historiography, through the public enjoyment
of his collection
Thank you for your attention.
arlindafortes@campus.ul.pt | fbaul.academia.edu/ArlindaFortes