Research Summary

Polychrome sculptures played a very important role in medieval Christian Europe and have a prominent place among Portuguese cultural heritage. The large number of objects that survived to the present day offers an opportunity for a systematic study. This project focus on the study of the materials and techniques of the polychromy of Portuguese sculptures from the 14^th and 15^th centuries on wood and stone supports, mainly from the collection of the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga. The research will incorporate the historical framing of the selected group of sculptures and an analytical study of their polychromy, in order to understand how these polychromies were produced and the reasons for the material and technical choices made by the artists. The Portuguese polychromy practices will be understood in light of its European context. This study will also provide a complementary source for the dating of the sculptures and contribute for a broader knowledge of the workshops to which some sculptures are attributed.

PhD Project Title: The polychromy of Portuguese medieval sculpture in wood and stone: comparative study on the materials and techniques.

Supervisors: Isabel Pombo Cardoso (LAQV-Requimte, DCR FCT NOVA, Portugal)