The formation of this collection, albeit in a non-programmatic way, ultimately brought together some of the most important moments in 20th-century Portuguese art.
Among the so-called modernists, there are key works by Eduardo Viana and Dórdio Gomes — pieces in which one can observe Cézanne's influence in a move away from the representation of the "real". Of a more decorative nature, we find the magnificent drawings by Jorge Barradas, depicting the four seasons, commissioned by SACOR for their calendars, as well as several works on paper by Bernardo Marques and Milly Possoz, forming a coherent group dating from the early 1960s.
The landscape is very well represented in the fantastic oils of João Hogan — earthy works depicting the rugged landscape without any human presence, marking a highly personal milestone in the evolution of painting in Portugal.
Also showcasing aspects of the Portuguese landscape, this gallery presents works by Carlos Botelho, Celestino Alves, Tomás de Melo, and Artur Bual, confirming the collection's focus on figurative values, in which the meaning of the painting is immediately comprehensible to the viewer.
From the 1960s and 1970s, there are works by Eduardo Nery, Jorge Martins, António Palolo, and Noronha da Costa. Here, the "pop" influence is already felt, which altered the perception of painting and accompanied, at the right time, the years of disruption that mainly took place in the United States, France, and the United Kingdom.
Finally, the 1980s are represented with works by Cruz Filipe, Manuel Cargaleiro, Ilda David, and Rosa Carvalho. Following the experimental movements that characterised the 1970s, the works presented here are an example of the so-called return to painting.
Fundação Galp would like to express its special thanks to José Manuel Saldanha Bento for his collaboration.