The exhibition “A Marginália de Amadeo,” curated by Samuel Silva, explores the lesser-known universe of Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso. It showcases approximately 50 pieces highlighting the artist’s “more intimate and experimental” aspects, including previously unseen drawings from his school manuals and graphic expressions in literary books from various private and institutional collections.
“This is a journey into Amadeo’s childhood that allows us to open or inaugurate a new realm of attention to his work. I believe this exhibition challenges us to look beyond the major exhibitions and pictorial achievements of Amadeo. Through this journey, we better understand his personality and sensitivity,” explained Samuel Silva during a press tour.
As the curator, artist, and professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Porto stated, the exhibition reveals, for the first time, this collection previously kept within the family, particularly the school manuals stored in the private library of the Casa de Manhufe.
“Truth be told, it is quite rare to find a collection that remains whole and preserved in the hands of its heirs,” he remarked.
The selection of drawings is organized into four thematic groups: humor, scenes and metamorphoses; verbo-visual explorations (word-image); animalia and landscapes; and portraits and self-portraits.
“The marginália of Amadeo offers a broadened view of the artist’s work, emphasizing risk, doubt, and experimentation as central elements of creation,” emphasized the curator about the exhibition, which will be on display until January 18, 2026.
Concurrently, the exhibition “Nadir Afonso: Territory of Absolute Freedom,” curated by Alexandra Silvano, examines the artistic journey of Nadir Afonso within the context of European modernism.
The artist collaborated in Paris with Le Corbusier and interacted with notable figures such as Vasarely, Léger, and Max Ernst, before leaving architecture to focus on painting.
“This is an exhibition that reveals 75 years of Nadir Afonso’s creation, a prominent name in Portuguese painting in the latter half of the 20th century,” explained Alexandra Silvano.
The curator noted that the exhibition is “divided into various periods, thereby offering a chronological presentation, intended to aid understanding among both young and older audiences of Nadir Afonso’s work.”
This exhibition, on display until January 25, 2026, ultimately “illustrates the artist’s pursuit of rigor, harmony, and, consequently, the search for the laws of nature,” she stated.
Speaking to journalists, the mayor of Amarante, Jorge Ricardo, announced that the museum has been closed since February for climatization works, which were “essential to also maintain the artwork in perfect condition,” along with “floor and wall interventions to make the space more welcoming.”
According to the mayor, the investment was around 300,000 euros.
The museum will reopen at 6:00 PM on Friday with the inauguration of the two exhibitions, which have already been shown at the Côa Museum and are scheduled to be presented in Lisbon and Óbidos in 2026.
