The Soares dos Reis National Museum has just received the bequest of the valuable Cândida and Vasco Duarte Silva collection, which significantly enriches the institution’s collection of fine arts and decorative arts.
In terms of private bequests, this one is the most important in the museum’s history and bears witness to the art collectors’ recognition of the Soares dos Reis National Museum’s ability to conserve, study, publicise and promote to the public a collection gathered over decades.
Among other types of objects, Cândida and Vasco Duarte Silva collection includes paintings and drawings by Portuguese artists from the 19th and 20th centuries, Portuguese earthenware from the 18th to 20th centuries (mainly from Oporto and Caldas), Portuguese and European porcelain, Portuguese jewellery (Oporto and Lisbon), oriental sculpture, among others.
The bequest includes artworks by Abel Salazar, Alvarez, Ana Jotta, Ana Vidigal, António Carneiro, António Palolo, Artur Loureiro, Ayres de Gouveia, Cargaleiro, Cruzeiro Seixas, Eduardo Luiz, Ernesto Condeixa, Francisco José de Resende, Fernanda Fragateiro, Francisco Smith, Jorge Queirós, Júlio, Júlio Resende, Mário Botas, Marques de Oliveira, Nikias Skapinakis, Paula Rego, Pedro Cabrita Reis, Pedro Portugal, Sá Nogueira, Sousa Pinto, etc.
Hundreds of objects have now been incorporated into the Museum’s collection and, after a period of study and technical treatment, will be available in the long-term exhibitions and temporary exhibitions of various kinds.
The Soares dos Reis National Museum is deeply grateful to the donators, believing that this gesture of generosity in favour of the community may also stimulate other donations from private collections.