Transfiguration
Author: António Manuel Fonseca
Origin: Italy?
Dating: 18th century (copy of a 16th century piece by Rafael Sanzio)
Material: Oil on Canvas
Dimensions (cm): 450 x 325
Inv. no.: MNAA555 / PD1193dep
This piece is divided into two horizontally distinct sections, depicting two episodes from the Gospels. In the upper part, Christ is transfigured, flanked by Moses and Elijah. The apostles Peter, John and James may also be seen. They are on the summit of Mount Tabor (Galilee) and the disciples, terrified, throw themselves to the ground.
In the lower part, a sick boy is brought by his parents to the helpless disciples. Christ becomes visible in his divine form as the only one who could help the child.
In this way, the painter tries – through the division of the canvas into two episodes – to establish a connection. He also seeks a separation of the Divine and the earthly. In contrast to the brightness of a supernatural Christ, there is the softness of dawn on the right side of the canvas and the moonlight in the scene below which, metaphorically, represents the boy’s sick state.
António Manuel da Fonseca (1796-1890)
A native of Lisboa, he was a reference painter in the Portuguese neoclassical representative of the Roman Academy. He produced a vast work, developing mainly themes from Greco-Roman antiquity, portraits of various personalities and historical, religious and mythological scenes. Occasionally, he also did sculptures and lithographies.
He was a disciple of his father João Tomás da Fonseca, of Joaquim Manuel da Rocha and, later in Rome, of the Italians Vincenzo Camuccini and Andrea Pozzi.
He reproduced notable copies of Raphael Sanzio’s “Transfiguration” and Domenico Zampieri’s “Communion of St. Jerome” (both in the Ducal Palace), among other works by Raphael, Carlo Dolci, Van Dyck, etc.
He was appointed professor of Historical Painting at the Academia de Belas-Artes, alternating his long career between teaching neoclassicism and decorative painting, while exhibiting regularly at the academy.
António Manuel da Fonseca was much appreciated and acclaimed in his time, achieving great honours throughout his life, which spanned almost the entire 19th century. He died at the age of 94 in Lisboa, where he lived. He is buried in the Prazeres Cemetery (Lisboa).
