Antonio Feliciano de Castilho

Born in Lisbon in 1800, António Feliciano de Castilho became one of the best-known figures in 19th-century Portuguese literature. He lost most of his vision after measles as a child, but with family support and an extraordinary memory he continued his studies and went on to build a major career as a writer, poet, and translator.

Castilho was a central presence in the Portuguese Romantic movement and published across many forms, including poetry, prose, translation, and educational writing. He is especially remembered not only for his literary output, but also for the "Método Castilho," a system designed to teach reading, which made him an important figure in discussions about education as well as literature.

His long career also made him a lively and sometimes controversial public figure in Portuguese cultural life. By the time of his death in Lisbon in 1875, he had become one of the defining literary names of his generation.