Meetings at the National Palaces
At the Royal Estate of Queluz with Sofia Braga: The Neoclassical Decorative Programmes (1819–1820)
Among landscapes, classical elements and delicate mural paintings, discover the visual language that shaped the private and social spaces of the Portuguese Royal Family at Queluz. In this meeting, Sofia Braga reveals the richness of the Neoclassical decorative programmes created between 1819 and 1820, inviting visitors to rediscover the royal apartments through the perspective of Art History.
Neoclassical Painting in Queluz
Since its construction, the Royal Estate of Queluz was one of the preferred residences of the Portuguese monarchs. This preference led to a gradual investment in its décor, encompassing a wide range of artistic forms, from furniture and decorative objects to wall and ceiling paintings. Within the decorative painting of both social and private spaces, various artists were commissioned over time to create what was known as “delicate painting”, reflecting changes in royal patronage and the evolving tastes of the Portuguese Royal Family.
In this context, Sofia Braga’s session offers a guided exploration of the world of Neoclassical painting preserved in the apartments once occupied by Queen Carlota Joaquina and D. Maria Francisca Benedita. Throughout the visit, several themes will be explored, from a “theatre of nature”, conceived through direct observation of the natural world, and idealised landscapes inspired by the work of Claude Joseph Vernet, to representations of motifs drawn from the repertoire of Classical Antiquity. These themes were widely disseminated through prints that revealed the remains of the ancient Roman world and left a lasting mark on the visual culture of the second half of the 18th century and the first half of the 19th century.
About the Speaker
Sofia Braga holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Lisbon (2021). She is the author of several studies on the artistic work of Cyrillo Volkmar Machado. Her research focuses on mural painting from the late Modern period and the contemporary era, the academic traditions of the fine arts, and the early development of Portuguese art historiography.
She is currently a collaborating researcher at the Lisbon Studies Group, part of the Institute of Art History at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of NOVA University Lisbon / IN2PAST – Associate Laboratory for Research and Innovation in Heritage, Arts, Sustainability and Territory.
More information
- Location: National Palace of Queluz
- Date: November 26, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM
- Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Audience: Youth and adults
- Meeting Point: Main entrance of the Palace
- Accessibility: Route not accessible
- Additional Information: The activity concludes with a cocktail for socializing and informal discussion of ideas and experiences, lasting 30–45 minutes. The ticket price contributes to the planting of three trees in the Sintra Mountains and to offsetting the carbon footprint associated with the activity.