António Manuel da Fonseca (27 September 1796,

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

- 4 October 1890, Lisbon) was a Portuguese painter, illustrator and theatrical designer; best known for his mythological and historical scenes.

Biography

His first studies were with his father, , who was a painter and sculptor.Brief biography
@ the Chiado Museum website. He then worked at the "Aula de Desenho e de Figura e História", founded by Joaquim Manuel da Rocha (1727-1786). His first known work is a panel depicting King João VI and Carlota Joaquina, executed in 1820 at the "Palácio das Laranjeiras" for

Joaquim Pedro Quintela, 1st Count of Farrobo Dom (title), D. Joaquim Pedro Quintela, 1st Count of Farrobo (11 December 1801 – 24 September 1869) was a Portuguese nobility, Portuguese aristocrat and businessman, the heir and successor of the great capitalist and landowner of the same name, ...

and his wife. Two years later, he produced a large series of

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

es at the Palácio de Quintela;Brief biography
from the notes to ''Obras, precedidas de um ensaio biographico, augmentadas com algumas composições ineditas do poeta pelo visconde de Juromenha'' @ Google Books. mostly scenes from the Roman-Sabine wars, landscapes showing Rome and its environs and miscellaneous themes from Greek mythology. In 1878, when he was in his 80s, he returned to do restorative work. Fonseca eneias1

In 1825, he painted curtains for the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, followed by a portrait of King Pedro IV. Supported by the King and Count Quintela, he was able to go to Rome, where he made copies of the

Old Masters In art history, "Old Master" (or "old master")Old Masters De ...

and completed his artistic training with Vincenzo Camuccini and

Andrea Pozzi Andrea Pozzi (1778–1833) was an Italian painter, active mainly in his native Rome, as a painter of religious and mythologic histories. He painted a ''Virgin and Saints'', painted for the City of Camerino. In 1820 he painted a ''Martyrdom ...

. He also spent time in London and Paris and, when he returned in 1836, he was appointed a Professor of

history painting History painting is a genre in painting defined by its subject matter rather than any artistic style or specific period. History paintings depict a moment in a narrative story, most often (but not exclusively) Greek and Roman mythology and Bible ...

at the "Academia de Belas-Artes" (now part of the University of Lisbon).Biographical notes
from the ''Diccionario bibliographico portuguez'' @ Google Books. In 1838, he designed costumes for a play by Almeida Garrett and did set designs for the opera '' Robert le diable'' by

Giacomo Meyerbeer Giacomo Meyerbeer (born Jakob Liebmann Beer; 5 September 1791 – 2 May 1864) was a German opera composer, "the most frequently performed opera composer during the nineteenth century, linking Mozart and Wagner". With his 1831 opera ''Robert le di ...

. Together with the lithographer, Maurício José Sendim (1786-1870), he created illustrations for the ''Quadros históricos'' by

António Feliciano de Castilho António Feliciano de Castilho, 1st Viscount of Castilho (28 January 180018 June 1875) was a Portuguese writer. Life Castilho was born in Lisbon. He lost his sight at the age of six, but the devotion of his brother Augusto, and aided by a retent ...

. He continued to exhibit frequently, culminating in 1880 at a major exhibition in the "Palácio de Cristal" in Porto. He also served as drawing master to the future King

Carlos Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhere ...

and his brother

Afonso Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century (Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian peninsula. ...

. His many honors include Knighthood in the Order of Christ and the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa, as well as being a corresponding member of the Institut de France.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fonseca, Antonio Manuel da 1796 births 1890 deaths Portuguese painters Portuguese male painters History painters Mythology in art Court painters Artists from Lisbon Portuguese scenic designers Knights of the Order of Christ (Portugal) Knights of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa 19th-century Portuguese people

Biography

References

Further reading

External links