This
paper aims to rethink 19th century Portuguese sculpture’s stylistic
categories from the analysis of the work of António Teixeira Lopes,
who is considered the major representative of naturalism in this
country. First, the concept of naturalism in Portuguese art history is
examined, with a critical characterization of its separation from
romanticism (contrasting with mainstream literature) and demonstrating
that its emergence from painting research and its adoption in
sculpture is inoperative when observing a concrete art work. Secondly,
with the Portuguese art reality as a backdrop, Teixeira Lopes’
academic and professional life is contextualised. Finally, based on
the analysis of the sculptor’s work and the knowledge of his methods
and views on art, the labelling of Lopes as a naturalist is questioned
and the necessity for a less compartmentalized understanding of 19th
century art is stressed.
Two new cellulolytic fungal species isolated from a 19th-century art collection
