António José Pereira

: o artista e a obra no quadro da cultura

Abstract

This dissertation aims to study the life and works of Antonio Jose Pereira, an artist from Viseu. Despite being a self-taught individual, his works of art were considered to possess an impressive quality, which were highly praised by some contemporary artists and scholars. This research study set out to show how important the direct contact with the works of the painter Vasco Fernandes, studies and copies that were made of them, had on the artist’s training. And when analysing his pictorial production, references of this 16th century master were identified. Antonio Jose Pereira was an artist who developed a creative multifaceted activity, producing works of diverse artistic typologies. However, painting played a central role in his career and that is why he is essentially known as a painter. His professional activity as a restorer resulted in the intervention of works of sculpture, painting and goldsmithery, etc., including the restoration of some of Vasco Fernandes’ paintings. We analysed the types of painting he made, especially the portrait, the religious theme and landscapes, even though the latter played a lesser role in the painter’s work. In the second part of this dissertation, some perspectives are presented concerning the potential of the information about the artist’s life and work may have on projects within the context of enhancement and development of culture and tourism in Viseu. In this context, we propose two tourist routes to visit the heritage of the cities of Viseu and Mangualde, where Antonio Jose Pereira’s pictorial work should be appreciated and be another enhancement factor of interest for visitors. Furthermore, this study presents a temporary exhibition project at the Grao Vasco Museum.

Date of Award	10 Jan 2012
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Maria de Fátima dos Prazeres Eusébio (Supervisor) & Ana da Piedade Elias Pinheiro (Co-Supervisor)