Paper short abstract:

In this presentation I will address the question of Indo-Portuguese art combining the interpretation of documental and visual data that express the importance of 19th century exhibitions and of art museum collections for the reception of Indian origin artefacts in Portugal.

Paper long abstract:

In December 1881 the expression Indo-Portuguese was first applied to the arts. Used in the catalogue of the "Special Loan Exhibition of Spanish and Portuguese Ornamental Art" by J.C. Robinson (1824-1913), the ethnic characterisation was confined to the so called decorative arts.

Although the Portuguese public collections were being gathered at the time, this new interpretation was ignored by Portuguese historians and art historians, also expressing the tension between "professionals" and the Portuguese 'intelligentsia' during the preparation and the following criticism to the "Exhibition of Portuguese and Spanish Ornamental Art" (Lisbon,1882).

In this presentation I will combine the interpretation of documental and visual data from some 19th century exhibitions (Colonial, Industrial, and International) and of art museums collections in order to provide an overview of the ways by which Indian origin artefacts were received (and perceived) in Portugal.

My goal is, in one hand, contribute to a better knowledge of the process by which curators created the collections, by questioning the reception and classification of manufactured Indian objects in Portugal, and, at the same time, understand in what sense the 'nationalization' of objects and their integration into a narrative of the Portuguese empire contributed to condition their artistic perception.

I will argue that Portuguese political, religious, and cultural context was crucial to the classification and interpretation of Indian objects and that such ambiance was immediately embodied in their reception, even if the objects were considered to be artistic (or not) by Goan authorities.