Saint Anthony by Leopoldo de Almeida

Considered a reference in Portuguese sculpture of the 20th century, Leopoldo de Almeida (1898-1975) dedicated his attention to the representation of St Anthony on several occasions throughout his career.

Among the 160 works of this artist in the collection, the Museum of Lisbon - Saint Anthony highlights the plaster model of the St Anthony figure he made for the colonnade of the Sanctuary of Fátima. 

Dated 1953, this figure was created by Leopoldo de Almeida in response to a request to make one of the 17 sculptures of Portuguese saints which populate the colonnade of the Sanctuary of Fátima, designed by the architect António Lino.

Inspired by Renaissance-era representations of the Saint, which depicted him with the child resplendent at his chest, Leopoldo de Almeida created a figure with a closed book in his hand, where the Infant Jesus stands close to the Saint's heart for all to see.

Yet this was not the first nor last time that Leopoldo de Almeida represented this saint. Among the drawings, photographs and sculpture models presented alongside this St Anthony in focus, two plaster casts on loan from the Leopoldo de Almeida Museum reveal the sculptor's recurrent return to the theme of St Anthony.