Gilded woodcarving in Portugal
Gilded woodcarving is a less expensive and more flamboyant artform than other technically more demanding types of decoration, such as sculpture or painting, although tile is also inexpensive.
Artists take commissions from regional orders to guarantee the activity of their workshop, sometimes making several related works in a specific geographical area.
Gilded woodcarving in Portugal started during the Gothic period following architectural models, taken mainly from sculpture and goldsmithery, using the decorative vocabulary of the style.
The typical form was a wooden structure, with the gold carving kept for the architectural part of the “machine” and the rest of the elements left either in plain wood or covered with colour.
The Manueline follows the vocabulary of architecture, using mainly the portal structure, giving importance to the heraldic, armillary sphere, Cross of Christ and sculpted naturalistic elements.
The wood gilt followed the approach of northern Europe, adjusted with the Portuguese aesthetic at the time and was made by Flemish master Machim.
The preference for large altarpieces in stone or painting did not allow the development of woodcarving as an autonomous form of expression, leaving it a decorative art.
The economic crisis at the end of the sixteenth century, the growing importance of the Jesuits, the loss of the spice trade and, finally, the death of King D. Sebastião in Alcácer Quibir, cause a gradual reduction of economic resources and the reduction of major programmes of expensive painting and sculpture, because they were considered a major art, and more subject to the rules imposed by the Council of Trent.
The woodcarvings dazzled - giving the idea of wealth - and adapted to all directives of the Catholic Church, while essentially exploring the architectural form.
In difficult economic times, woodcarving gained in meaning, as sculpture and painting were reduced in altarpieces, leaving behind the classical inspirations, taken from international books arriving through Spain.
The altarpiece resembles a powerful machine, built with concentric archivolts, classical spiral columns (pseudo salomonic), platforms and throne.
Iberian peace, and the discovery of Brazilian gold and diamonds make Portugal under King D. João V Europe's richest country, allowing the development of international Baroque art in all forms.
It converted the archivolts to trim cut, incorporated sculpture-like angels, garlands, vegetal-like forms, birds and architectural elements.
The abundance of resources sustained the politics of splendour, based in diamonds and precious metals from Brazil, allowing for an architecture of luxury and modern decorative programmes, after Rococo.
Rococo gilded woodcarving is subdivided into several currents or regional styles, allowing it to maintain variety and originality, from north to south.
Around Braga, thanks to the work of André Soares another regional school developed, characterized by the fusion of colour and gold, in altarpieces of great elegance and quality.
Seventeen years later, when the King returned, Romanticism was installed and gilded woodcarving had lost its meaning and originality, overwhelmed by the revivalist fashion.
