Artes do livro em Portugal

Abstract

The eighteenth century - the golden age of Portuguese art - was a time of grand achievernent propelled in large part by the Academia Real de História Portuguesa (Royal Academy of Portuguese History). The French influence, of crucial importance during these years, is readily apparent in every aspect of book production, from typography to engraving, and even in binding. The institution patronized by Dom João V made an indelible impact on the Portuguese book until the second half of the eighteenth century. After a 13-year interval of stagnation in the difficult period of recuperation following the earthquake of 1755, the founding of the Régia Oficina Tipográfica (the Crown's Typology Office) prompted a second surge of Portuguese editorial activity. This was an undertaking that aimed at the discovery of new graphic solutions for a diversified reading public and the promulgation of knowledge in a variety of áreas. We can trace the evolution of printing in Portugal by examining the principal works that came off of its presses, especially in the illustrative engravings produced by foreign and domestic artists — elements that afforded "value added" to the Portuguese printing industry. This thesis offers a transversal analysis of the printed book during the eighteenth century, by following the artistic route through the engravings and typographical features that these works contain