Casa Museu Teixeira Lopes — Attraction in Vila Nova de Gaia

Definitely a hidden gem! Both the house and its contents merit the detour, as the Michelin Guides used to say.

We don't usually like guided tours but we had no choice - and just as well, because we would have failed to understand so much without our guide. She was full of quiet enthusiasm for her subject and made heroic struggles to get it across to us in English.

We knew nothing of the artist prior to our visit, we just enjoy seeing works of art and hoped to find something a little different here.. We certainly got that, but we also gained insight into the life and works of one who was clearly a great artist.

And as a special bonus, we got to see a painting by Amadeo de Souza Cardoso - our very favourite...

Antonio T. Lopes was a great artist. You can visit his house (free guided tour). I had a guide named Vera, she was so kind and showed me studio of Antonio and apartmant where he used tò live. The artist was living 10 years in Paris, and he was learning from different artists like Rodine. His style Is really nice. Its not allowed tò make photos inside the studio and apartmant. I can higly recommend this place. Before the artist died he gave this amazing place tò the city of Gaia, and he requeted that must be free...

A construção do edifício teve início nos finais do século XIX e foi seu arquiteto José Teixeira Lopes, irmão do patrono da casa. Foi aqui que o Mestre António Teixeira Lopes (1866-1942) habitou e trabalhou no seu atelier, tendo sido doado à Câmara Municipal de Gaia e aberto ao público como Casa-Museu em 1933.

Na Casa-Museu estão expostas as obras de maior relevo de António Teixeira Lopes, incluindo exemplares de escultura monumental (A Verdade, Flora), tumular (História, Caridade, Dor e Túmulo de Almeida Garrett), arquitetónica (Portas da Candelária), de vulto (A Viúva, Caim e Ofélia) e de caráter religioso (Rainha Santa Isabel e Santo Isidoro).

Da coleção particular do Mestre consta um espólio rico em Artes Decorativas com coleções de mobiliário, têxteis, vidros, ourivesaria, cerâmica, etc. Salienta-se a excelência da galeria de pintura do Mestre Teixeira Lopes, com nomes que permitem conhecer as sensibilidades estéticas e os gostos do artista: Alfredo Keil, António Carneiro, António Ramalho, Aurélia de Sousa, Domingos Sequeira, Henrique Pousão, João Vaz, José Malhoa, Silva Porto, Sousa Pinto, Vieira Lusitano, Vieira Portuense,...