From 1 June, Domingos Sequeira’s ‘Descida da Cruz’ (Descent from the Cross) will be part of the Soares dos Reis National Museum’s long-term exhibition, in a deposit that will initially last three years.
The Soares dos Reis National Museum’s long-term exhibition already features four oils and a significant number of drawings by Domingos Sequeira, so ‘Descent from the Cross’ will be exhibited in the same room, enriching the available collection. Preparatory drawings of the work, belonging to the Soares dos Reis National Museum’s collection, will also be exhibited, creating a “dialogue” between the museum’s collection and this valuable new deposit.
Last Saturday, International Museum Day, the painting was on display at the Monastery of Leça do Balio, the headquarters of the Livraria Lello Foundation, the private organisation that acquired the artwork. In the evening, it was transported to the Soares dos Reis National Museum, where it remains in reserve until it is put on display (1st of June).
‘Descent from the Cross’, a sacred painting dating from 1827, is part of a group of four late paintings by Domingos Sequeira, executed in Rome, where the artist died in 1837.
Domingos Sequeira is considered to be the most talented and original Portuguese painter of his time, having played a fundamental role in the development of Portuguese art in the early 19th century.
Photo credits: MMP/MNSR © Rui Pinheiro