OUR HISTORY
There is not any document that allows us to retrace the history of the House of Carrafouchas, built at the beginning of the century there. XVIII. Its history only prays to stay there Junot. On April 8, 1879, the property is purchased by the Marquis of Valada Joaquim Franco Cannas, remaining in their family until the present. She currently belongs to Maria Veneranda Cannas da Silva Henriques.
This sun is a beautiful example of the construction we can find both the North and the South of Portugal. In this type of house constructed according to a frontal view, the facade carefully designed develops in the length direction. The three distinct elements, consisting of the chapel, the residence and the wall of the courtyard, enclosed by an armored hatch, there are integrated in the same set. The chapels are generally just put in evidence during the first half of the eighteenth century, just occupying the edge of the facade. Is this the case, since the chapel is right
subordinated to the cornice located in the extension of the house, only distinguishing it by a small bell and a pediment worked. Its façade, on which is inscribed the date of 1714, has the sobriety of the previous century, as exemplified by the residential part, punctuated by wide pilasters and the alignment of the windows of balconies with a cornice. The huge wall, with its armored portal, which gives access to the courtyard, is extended by the wall of attachments.
Very Portuguese in its architecture, this house also it is the predominance given to interior decoration of the chapel on the housing. Dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, this place of worship is a see-dadeira jewelry, which are associated with the Portu-guese, gilded carvings, inlaid policro-mos, fresh red and golden marble, and blue and white tiles . The set is however very homogenous, thanks to the "leitmotiv" two-dimensional but very dynamic, for-mated by coils and scrolls of foliage. A similar treatment of these materials is explained by the ties that exist between the different bodies of crafts that were inspired, in most cases, the records of these same decorators.
Thus, the marchetador who performed the altar was able to mimic perfectly on the wood flo-rentinos mosaics similar to the neighboring Church of Loures, completed in 1716 (1) marble. Similarly, the scrolls affluent fresquista painted ceiling, ornamental grammar associated with post-Renaissance with cornucopiae flowers, fruits and mascarons. Six great-carteias are represented invocations to the Virgin (2). In the center, in the manner of the popular shrines, perhaps by José Ferreira de Araújo, is a poetic Our Lady of Mount Carmel, interceding for the salvation of the damned to eternal (3) fire. As the painter of tiles, whose corporation was regarded as more innovative, it is noted however that this kept in enclosures where traditional scrolls rejoice cherubim. In contrast, fall scenes represented a new aesthetic.
The episodes from the life of the Virgin (4), real paintings, architectural highlights .se of funds, opening up a space now on three dimensions. At the same time, the different scenes illustrate a distant familiar world of austere standards of the previous century. The Nativity and the Adoration of the Magi are particularly picturesque, with radiant joy of pastors offering their rustic or gifts the Magi and their little black accompanied by camels, somehow evoking the famous processions of giraffes you sin tapestries woven in Tournai in the century XVI, after the Portuguese discoveries. The care in detail the correctness of faces, a certain suit and collected air permit assigning these tiles to PMP master
As the chapel, the courtyard is a privileged space, surrounded by multiple attachments ceilings, cheered by striking geometric design of black and white cobblestones and refreshed by the existence of a source. The terrace that dominates the chapel was decorated later, around 1740, with three monumental panels of tiles, representing hunting scenes, in the style of Bartolomeu Antunes. Ali, mounted knights and chasing the bull, deer and wild boars, have a particularly plastic design.
The Garden reserves in new surprise, with its large half-moon lake, addorsed three walls of a efuziante white edged with ocher, topped by bulbs, leaving them pinácu not have vacancies Arab reminiscences. Here the tiles serve to frame Arquitectonica mind-niches that large baroque moldings above the stone benches, graceful fall allegorical figures representing the Four Seasons. This, very much appreciated, bucolic theme often rejoices the halls and have Racos as in Quinta Grande in Damaia, where the Four Seasons have a similar sized de.elegância, Designed with great delicacy and care, this decorating-tion could be attributed, perhaps, to Nicholas Frei-tas, circa 1740 in central grutazinha, the murmur of the fountain seems to join the gallant characters tiles devaneiam under frondosidades (5).
(1) The mosaics Marble Church of Loures were
executed by Francisco Manuel Botelho between 1696 eá716
(2) The moon, the sun, well, the mirror of justice, the ivory tower.
(3) The child Jesus, the angels and two convicted sustain
in hand an emblem of Mount Carmel.
(4) The Education of the Virgin, the Presentation in the Temple,
Marriage of the Virgin Birth of Jesus, Worship
the Magi, Flight into Egypt, the Holy Family. It is interesting
compare tile with the four frames of the chapel,
representing the Marriage of the Virgin, the Annunciation,
the Nativity and the Visitation.
(5) In the gardens, despite missing the viewpoint of
eighteenth century decorated tiles, was still a beautiful rotunda
surmounted of a lanternirn which houses a source.
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