The gilders in the golden period of the city of Évora

Abstract

At the end of the 15th century, Évora was a cosmopolitan city that was becoming increasingly significant from the cultural and artistic point of view. Throughout the 16th century and the first half of 17th century, it became the city of choice for many of the intellectuals and artists, such as architects, painters, woodcarvers and gilders, who were closely following the Court. This paper aims at analyzing the presence of painters and gilders in Évora and in the Alentejo region between the 16th century and the first half of the 18th century. In addition to the artistic production and the team work of artists of varying skills, we present also some data about their social life, intending to highlight aspects such as their wages; the streets where they preferred to live or set up their studios; their relationships with other craftsmen; family ties that existed within the trade; the social status of this occupation.