Dr. Anastácio Gonçalves House-museum

On Avenida 5 de Outubro in Lisbon, this house museum brings together Portuguese paintings, Chinese porcelain, furniture and decorative arts in the former home and studio of painter José Malhoa. The Art Nouveau rooms give the collection a domestic setting, with stained glass and an asymmetrical plan among the building’s details. Look for works by José Malhoa and Alfredo Keil, along with porcelain and period furnishings. Visit every floor, including the bright room where much of the collection is displayed.

A house designed for an artist

The building was created as a home and painting studio for José Malhoa. Architect Manuel Joaquim Norte Júnior designed it in 1904 and 1905 in the Art Nouveau style. Its features include stained glass, an asymmetrical layout and a wrought-iron gate decorated with butterflies. The design earned the building the Valmor Prize for Architecture in 1905.

The house later became the residence of António Anastácio Gonçalves, an ophthalmologist and art collector. He acquired it in 1932 and assembled the collection now displayed there. The museum preserves the connection between the rooms and the people who lived and worked in them.

Paintings, porcelain and furnishings

The collection includes Portuguese paintings from the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as Chinese porcelain, furniture and decorative arts. Works by José Malhoa appear alongside paintings by artists including Silva Porto, João Vaz, António Ramalho, Carlos Reis, Mário Augusto and Marques de Oliveira. The paintings include landscapes, portraits and costume subjects.

The porcelain collection spans Chinese wares from the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties. Furniture and decorative objects are arranged through the house, so the displays sit within the setting of a former residence rather than a purpose-built gallery. Take time to look at both the artworks and the rooms around them.