Francisco D'Holanda: Desire, Design and Drawing (1517–2017)

To commemorate the 500th anniversary of his birth, the Museum hosted a markedly graphic exhibition, an overview of the life and work of this Renaissance artist, who contributed decisively to breaking with the Lusitanian mentality that had frozen in previous eras.

Francisco de Holanda (1517-1584), a unique man in the history of Portuguese culture. Painter, designer, architect, illuminator, essayist, idealist, he was an intellectual in the full sense of the word.

Presented, across 3 zones, an overview of the life and work of this nationally and internationally recognised Renaissance artist, who contributed decisively to breaking with the Lusitanian mentality that had frozen in previous eras.

The sequence of Desire, Design and Drawing accompanies Francisco de Holanda’s physical and spiritual journey, registering the facets of a unique personality, marked by the ceaseless search for knowledge, and recording his contribution to the history of art, numismatics, military architecture and urbanism, highlighting the artistic and philosophical legacy of a humanist who dedicated his life to drawing, to projecting a new city of Lisbon, and writing about the artist and his role in society, the art of drawing and its virtues, plans to defend the city, and Europe and the world in the 16th century.

Throughtout the exhibition the library had available bibliography about the life and work of Francisco de Holanda for consultation.

Exhibition credits

Curatorship
Margarida Cunha Belém, Gabriella Casella, Francisco Providência

Texts and contents
Cariátides

Exhibition design
Providência Design

Project management and public programming
Museu do Dinheiro - Departamento de Serviços de Apoio/Banco de Portugal 

Enactment and readings of the Roman Dialogues
Maria Duarte, Gonçalo Almeida, Luis Godinho, Miguel Loureiro

Facilities and security
Departamento de Serviços de Apoio/Banco de Portugal 

Communication
Direção de Comunicação/Banco de Portugal

Exhibition walls, printing and installation
UH

Insurance
Lusitânia

Translation
John Huffstot