José Malhoa Museum, Art museum in Nossa Senhora do Pópulo, Portugal
José Malhoa Museum is an art museum in Nossa Senhora do Pópulo that displays paintings, sculptures, medals, drawings, and ceramics by Portuguese artists from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection focuses on the painter José Malhoa's works alongside terracotta figures that depict religious scenes.
The building was constructed in 1940 as Portugal's first structure purposefully designed as a museum. Later expansions were made to accommodate the growing art collection.
The museum centers on José Malhoa, a naturalist painter whose works shaped how Portugal understood its own artistic identity. His paintings and the scenes they depict reflect everyday life and social themes that mattered to Portuguese society of his era.
The museum sits in D. Carlos I Park and is easy to reach by walking through the green space. The building itself is clearly visible from outside, and the interior rooms are laid out so you can move through them without difficulty.
In the basement you can discover a rare exhibition of ceramic works by Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, who was known for his masterful pieces. These figures are arranged in nine distinct scenes and show craftsmanship that visitors often overlook.
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