Today, 26 November, marks the 135th anniversary of the birth of Fernando de Castro, a collector and businessman from Porto. The Soares dos Reis National Museum manages the House-Museum where he lived in Porto.
The collection of the Fernando de Castro House-Museum is made up of different collections gathered over several decades. It is mainly made up of religious art with erudite and popular representations, Portuguese naturalist painting and decorative arts. There is also an interesting collection of caricatures and some books by Fernando de Castro, collector, artist and poet.
Fernando de Castro (Sé, 26 Nov. 1888 – Paranhos, 7 Oct. 1946) was a collector and businessman from Porto who was also known for his poetic style, which he manifested in his publications, his love of reading and his penchant for drawing, having created several series of caricatures.
Fernando de Castro lived in Rua das Flores next to his father’s shop, whose business thrived on glass, mirrors and painted paper. Between 1893-1908, the businessman embarked on the construction of a new house in Rua de Costa Cabral in Porto.
From an early age, Fernando de Castro grew up in an imaginary full of style figures and icons, particularly with regard to the furniture and furnishings of the Costa Cabral house – a heritage he preserved and respected after his father’s death in 1918.
As an adult, he developed his cultural interests in a circle of friends linked to business and with a particular taste for the arts and literature. It was after his mother’s death in 1925 that Fernando de Castro acquired new objects and artworks.
The Fernando de Castro House-Museum has been administered by the Soares dos Reis National Museum since 1952, which organises several guided tours of the space.
Access to the Fernando de Castro House-Museum is always by prior online booking and subject to confirmation of availability. For group visits, the maximum number of participants is 10.
Cover image
Portrait of Fernando de Castro, oil on canvas, by Alberto Joaquim da Silva, 1933