author
Cirilo Volkmar Machado
1748–1823
A restless creative force in Lisbon’s cultural life, this Portuguese painter, sculptor, and architect is remembered not only for his art but also for helping preserve the story of Portuguese artists. His writings made him an early and important voice in the history of Portuguese art.
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About the author
Born in Lisbon on July 9, 1748, Cirilo Volkmar Machado worked across painting, sculpture, and architecture. He is often described as the first historian of Portuguese art, a reputation tied especially to the biographical and historical writings he produced late in life.
He studied with his uncle João Pedro Volkmar and is also said to have spent time in Seville and Rome before returning to Portugal. Back in Lisbon, he worked on decorative and religious commissions, painting for churches, palaces, and noble houses, while also trying to encourage more formal artistic training.
Machado died in Lisbon on April 12, 1823. His lasting place in Portuguese culture comes from both sides of his career: the works he created as an artist and the records he left behind about the artists who came before him and worked alongside him.