Like many countries enjoying great prosperity at the end of the 19th century, Portuguese architects and designers developed their own variant of Art Nouveau, known locally as Arte Nova. These buildings are often distinguished by their Azulejos or hand painted tile panels.   found on the interior and exterior of every type of building from churches to railway stations, the most notably example being the 20,000 or so azulejo tiles used to decorate the vestibule of Porto’s São Bento railway station, built in 1905-16 by the architect Marques da Silva.

Tiles were also used extensively in Aveiro, where most of the Arte Nova buildings are built in adobe (sun-dried clay bricks).  The Casa Mário Pessoa (1906-09), the most striking building in Averio, is attributed to Francisco Augusto da Silva Rocha, who headed the local Arte Nova school.  Built for the entrepreneur Mário Belmonte Pessoa, the residence is a riot of colour as well as tiles.

Returning to Porto our virtual tour ends with the Villa Serralves, the finest Art Deco residence in Portugal. Affectionately known as the ‘Pink House’, this ‘Streamline Modern’ villa reflects the sophisticated taste of its owner, Carlos Alberto Cabral, 2nd Count of Vizela. Visiting the 1925 International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts held in Paris, Cabral became acquainted with the leading architects and designers of the day. His personal vision was realised by architect Charles Siclis, interior designer Émile–Jacques Ruhlmann, and landscape architect Jacques Gréber. The stunning gardens are a perfect place to relax at the end of the day.

About the Lecturer

Anne Anderson. From 1993-2007 Anne was a senior lecturer on the Fine Arts Valuation degree courses at Southampton Solent University, where she specialised in the Aesthetic Movement, Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau and Modernism. She has published books on the Pre-Raphaelites, Edward Burne-Jones, and Art Nouveau Architecture. Her academic papers have appeared in many well-respected journals including Design History; The British Art Journal; and Victorian Literature and Culture. Anne has also curated four national exhibitions, mostly recently Beyond the Brotherhood The Pre-Raphaelite Legacy (2019-20). American fellowships held include the Huntington Library, CA and the American Antiquarian Society, MA. Anne’s career as an international speaker has taken her all over the world from Australia to Canada. She has also lectured on several cruise ships, Swan Hellenic’s Minerva, the Spirit of Adventure and the Hebridean