The term manuelino was introduced in 1842 by Brazilian art historian Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen to designate the exuberant artistic style that developed during the reign of Manuel I of Portugal (1495-1521). The Manueline style coincided with the Age of Discovery and the peak of Portuguese maritime power. In the sequence of the Gothic Revival architecture fashion that spread for all over Europe since the middle of the XVIII century, the Manueline style was considered the most authentical Portuguese architectural style.

Neo-Manueline started with the construction of the Pena Palace in Sintra by Ferdinand II between 1839 and 1849. Another pioneering project was the restoration of the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon during the 1860s, in which the Manueline monastery gained a new tower and annexes built in Neo-Manueline style (which now house the Maritime Museum and the National Archaeology Museum). During this time the iconic Belém Tower was also restored with several Neo-Manueline additions.

Neo-Manueline eventually spread to the colonies and former Portuguese colonies. In Brazil there are several Neo-Manueline buildings, usually built by Portuguese associations. The most important of these is the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura (Royal Portuguese Library), built between 1880 and 1887 by Portuguese immigrants in the centre of Rio de Janeiro.

Other examples of Neo-Manueline buildings can also be found in African and Asian territories of the former Portuguese Colonial Empire. There are also some examples of Neo-Manueline style in countries that were not directly related with the Portuguese culture. A fine example is Morozov Palace (1894-1898) in Moscow, Russia.

Links

• Neo-Manueline – Wikipedia

Incoming search terms:

• manueline

This innovative style synthesizes aspects of Late Gothic architecture with influences of Spanish Plateresque style, downtown Italian, and Flemish elements. It marks the transition from Late Gothic to Renaissance. The construction of churches and monasteries in Manueline was largely financed by proceeds of the lucrative spice trade with Africa and India.

This original style was named by Francisco Adolfo de Varnhagen, Viscount of Porto Seguro, in 1842 in his description of the Jerónimos Monastery in his book Noticia historica e descriptiva do Mosteiro de Belem, com um glossario de varios termos respectivos principalmente a architectura gothica.

He named the style after King Manuel I, whose reign (1495 to 1521) coincided with its development. This style was much influenced by the astonishing successes of the voyages of discovery of Portuguese navigators, from the coastal areas of Africa to the discovery of Brazil and the ocean routes to the Far East, drawing heavily on the style and decorations of East Indian temples.

Even if the period of this style didn’t last long (from 1490 to 1520), it played an important part in the Portuguese history of art. The influence of the style, however, outlived the king. Celebrating the newly maritime power, it manifested itself in architecture (churches, monasteries, palaces, castles) and extended into other arts such as sculpture, painting, works of art made of precious metals, faience and furniture.

Some important Manueline artists :

• Architecture : Diogo Boitac, Mateus Fernandes, Diogo de Arruda, Francisco de Arruda, João de Castilho, Diogo de Castilho, Diogo of Torralva, Jerome of Rouen
• Sculpture : Diogo Pires
• Painting : Vasco Fernandes, Gaspar Vaz, Jorge Afonso, Cristóvão de Figueiredo, Garcia Fernandes, Gregório Lopes

Links

• Manueline – Wikipedia