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U.Porto Memory

University of Porto Famous Alumni

Artur Loureiro

Artur Loureiro 1853-1932 Painter

Artur José de Sousa Loureiro was born in Bonjardim Street, in Porto, on 11 February 1853 to Francisco José de Sousa Loureiro and Guilhermina Luísa Soares Ribeiro. He was also the brother of Urbano José de Sousa Loureiro, a journalist and writer.
He studied drawing and painting under the supervision of his friend and master António José da Costa, and was later admitted to the Porto Academy of Fine Arts, where he was taught by João António Correia.

In 1873, he competed for a grant to go to Paris, which he gave up in favour of Silva Porto. In 1875, he once again competed for a scholarship, this time with Rome in mind, competing side by side with his opponent Malhoa, but the result was a tie. The contest was annulled, but Loureiro was sponsored by patron Delfim Guedes – future Earl of Almedina – and was still able to make the trip. In Rome, he was admitted to the Artistic Circle in 1876.
In 1879, the artist applied once again for a scholarship to go to Paris, together with Columbano, and ranked first in the contest. In the French capital, Loureiro lived in the Quartier Latin and attended the École des Beaux-Artes, where he studied under the supervision of Cabanel.
During this period, he showed his work at the Paris-based Salon (from 1880 to 1882), side by side with artists such as Marques de Oliveira, Silva Porto, António Ramalho, Sousa Pinto, Columbano and João Vaz, and at the Galeria Goulpil, in London. He fell in love and married Australian-born Marie Huybers, portrayed in his painting O Descanso do Artista (Artist Resting), and had two children, a boy and a girl.

In 1884, he was in a very frail physical condition and moved to Australia, Melbourne. Here, he became part of the Australian Art Association, together with eight other artists (1885). This Association later merged with the Victorian Artist’s Society (1888); he taught Drawing at the Presbyterian Ladies Academy, sold works of art to wealthy local patrons, received prizes, was part of many juries, became an Inspector at the National Gallery of Victoria and had two followers: Constable and Mrs. Melba.
His works were acknowledged worldwide. Some of his most famous paintings include: The Vision of Saint Stanislaus of Kostka, which was awarded the Gold Medal of the National Gallery; The Tigres, which received a Gold Medal in London and was purchased by the Sanderston Gallery; the portrait Alderman Stewart, property of the Melbourne City Hall; the decorative panel at a private home, entitled Four Seasons, Iris and The Cross of the Sun; the painting Saint Anthony at the Melbourne Cathedral; and Burke’s Death which, in 1889, received the Gold Medal at the London International Exhibition.

The beginning of the 20th century marks the final return of Loureiro to Porto, where he was to engage in promoting the arts. He set up a school-workshop in his home town, in one of the wings of the former Crystal Palace, which was to become a place of reference sought by aspiring artists and admirers of the painter. This was where he taught, painted and held his exhibitions.
During this phase, Loureiro showed his paintings at the National Society of Fine-Arts, in Lisbon (1920), at the Misericórdia Gallery, in Porto (1923), and at the Silva Porto Hall (1929), also in Porto. A self-portrait on exhibition in this last show was purchased by the prestigious Uffizi Museum, in Florence.
In 1932, he became a member of the Order of Santiago (or Order of Saint James of Compostela).

Loureiro died in Terras de Bouro, on 7 July 1932, a place in which he had chosen to paint. His first wife and their only son had already died (the latter died in the 1st World War). Loureiro was survived by his second wife, Elisa Fernanda de Sousa Pires, whom he had married on 19 June 1918.
The 100th anniversary of the birth of this important naturalist painter was commemorated in 1953. He excelled in landscape paintings, in animalist figures and in portraits.
His work is displayed in many Portuguese and foreign museums, such as Évora Museum, Chiado Museum, in Lisbon, the National Museum Soares dos Reis, in Porto, the Grão Vasco Museum, in Viseu, the Sanderstan Gallery and the National Gallery of Melbourne.
(Universidade Digital / Gestão de Informação, 2009)