Gilded woodcarving in Portugal

Gilded woodcarving in Portugal is, along with tile, one of the country's most original and rich artistic expressions. It is usually used in the interior decoration of churches and cathedrals and of noble halls in palaces and large public buildings. An impressive collection of altarpieces are found in Portuguese churches. Originating in the Gothic era, Portuguese gilded woodcarving assumed a nationalist character during the 17th century and reached its height in the reign of King D. João V. In the 19th century it lost its originality and began to disappear with the end of the revival era.

Gilded woodcarving is a less expensive and more flamboyant artform than other technically more demanding types of decoration, such as sculpture or painting, although tile is also inexpensive. The amount of gold required is relatively small. It does not require the extensive training of a sculptor or painter. The forms are copied and adapted from decorative architecture and inspiration taken from books. During the seventeenth century a typically Portuguese vocabulary developed. After being transported to the empire, it adapted to local traditions and artistic capacities, as is visible in Brazil or in India – mainly in Goa.

Artists take commissions from regional orders to guarantee the activity of their workshop, sometimes making several related works in a specific geographical area. Examples exist in colour, white or natural wood, but without the visual impact of the gilded carvings.

Gilded woodcarving in Portugal started during the Gothic period following architectural models, taken mainly from sculpture and goldsmithery, using the decorative vocabulary of the style. Gothic arches, pinnacles, columns, etc., are associated with sculpture or painting. The typical form was a wooden structure, with the gold carving kept for the architectural part of the “machine” and the rest of the elements left either in plain wood or covered with colour. In spite of the small number of surviving altarpieces (the overwhelming majority was replaced during the Baroque period), it is known that they followed the international taste, such as the main altarpiece in the old Cathedral of Coimbra.

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