José Rodrigues de Carvalho was a Portuguesepainter. O Pobre Rabequista, painted in 1855 and considered Rodriques' most famous work, was first shown in Paris at the Universal Exhibition in 1855 and at the International Exposition of Porto in 1865, where he won the second award.
Biography
Early life
José Rodrigues, son of Apolinário José de Carvalho and Maria Leonarda, was baptised in "São João da Praça" on September 21, 1828, having as godfather José Rodrigues. José Rodrigues had five brothers and lived at the "Rua dos Bacalhoeiros" in Lisbon, having married in 1863 with D. José Maria Rodrigues, daughter of José Rodrigues da Rocha, having also three children named. Prior to join the Academy of Fine Arts at as a volunteer student in 1841, he left an engraving dated of 1840. The existence of a colleague at the Academy also homonym, he officially requested the reduction of its name to "José Rodrigues." At fourteen years of age, in the drawing competition history, he won a prize in a copy of abas-relief, modelling from student to student. From that time there still remains an engraving, signed and dated by José Rodrigues. In 1843, during an exhibition of Works by students, he presented a drawing in bas-relief. In that year, each of the following received an award: Miguel Ângelo Lupi, Angelino da Cruz Castro e Silva, António José Lopes Júnior and Ernesto Gerard. In the academic year of 1845/1846, he entered higher education in the subject of historical painting and won an award. In December 1846, he was attributed another award for a life-model drawing.
At the triennial exhibition of 1849, he was awarded with a gold medal by the Queen, Dona Maria II. At its conference in August 1849, the Academy of Fine Arts awarded José Rodrigues with a gold medal for his painting, Aparição do Anjo S. Gabriel ao profeta Daniel. At an exhibition, promoted by the Portuguese Industrial Association, José Rodrigues received the Silver Medal with honours. In 1865, he was nominated “Academic of Merit” at the Academy of Fine Arts’ General Conference. Throughout his life, against his wishes, he was forced to paint portraits in order to survive; a fact which caused him to become melancholic and given to illness. He gave classes at the Irish-owned "Monastery of Bom-Sucesso" and at the private school, "S. José das Dominicanas de S. Domingos de Benfica", amongst others. The artist died at his home in Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, Lisbon, on October the 19th, 1887.
Reviews of his work
According to José Augusto França, the artist dedicated himself to the painting of customs, within a sphere of sentimental realism and his work was hindered by a difficulty in separating sentimentalism from realism.
Diverse
The Works of José Rodrigues and other contemporaries of his time are being studied within the subject of 19th Century Art at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Oporto.
On November the 16th 1882, the artist entered into an agreement with the City Council of Lisbon for the production of two paintings for the Council’s main “Meeting Chamber”.
In the contract, José Rodrigues committed himself to the creation of two real-life and full-body paintings of Alexandre Herculano and Manuel Fernandes Tomás, in memory of their noble life contributions. The contract was signed by the presiding Chairman of the Council, José Gregório da Rosa Araujo and by the artist. The paintings currently exposed in the “Meeting Chamber” of the City Council.
Selected works
Oil paintings
The poor of púcara in half body. It belonged to the king D. Fernando
The poor rabequista, composition of three figures in natural size. It belonged to the king - Fernando and then to Mr. Conde do Ameal and currently is part of the bootyChiado Museum.
The malmequer. It belonged to D. Rufina Maria Iglesias of Lima.
