Born in Vila Nova de Gaia, Manuel Maria Lúcio was born on October 21, 1865.
In Gaia, in the house where he lived his entire life, he assembled an important collection, mainly contemporary paintings, pieces of furniture, earthenware and enamels. In addition to being a collector, Manuel Maria Lúcio was a notable bibliophile. The Soares dos Reis National Museum has included a significant part of its art and library collection since 1944.
He didn’t study at the Academia Portuense de Belas Artes, but he used books and publications as a vehicle for artistic culture. In the screens, boards and pastels he painted, we can see various aspects of the Alto-Douro and Vale do Vouga regions, Gaia and Porto, such as Rio Douro, from 1906, exhibited at the Soares dos Reis National Museum.
Although he was most appreciated for the landscapes he created, Manuel Maria Lúcio was also notable for his figurative works, such as Retrato da Mãe (Mother’s Portrait), from 1907 (in the photo).
Manuel Maria Lúcio, an amateur painter, chose the painter Artur Loureiro as his master. Among the artists who attended the studio-school in the gardens of Palácio de Cristal, Manuel Maria Lúcio was one of his favorite disciples.
Manuel Maria Lúcio, an amateur painter, chose the painter Artur Loureiro as his master. Among the artists who frequented his studio in the gardens of the Crystal Palace, Manuel Maria Lúcio was one of his favourite disciples. Since 1944, the Soares dos Reis National Museum has housed a significant part of his art collection and library.