LEOPOLDO DE ALMEIDA

1898-1975

Biography
Born in Lisbon where he studied and became a teacher of the School of Fine Arts as from 1934. At the end of the course, he studied, on a scholarship, in France and Italy, having even displayed in Rome. He was dedicated to sculpture and ceramics. He was a contemporary of the modernist salons and took part in the Independents' Salon of the 1930's. He is the author of various public monuments in Lisbon and in Santa Comba, for the New York Exhibition, the Portuguese writers for Lisbon and for Oporto (Ramalho Ortigão), the latter already in the mid-1950's and the Calouste Gulbenkian in 1965.
Of the second generation of modern artists, defined by José Augusto-França, he is the author of the famous statue of “Sovereignty” and of the “Monument to the Discoveries”, both designed for the Portuguese World Exhibition of 1940. He was one of the most productive Portuguese statue makers who, having commenced in a modern style with some pieces in “déco” taste ended up moving towards academic even classic, correction, wellunderstood and accepted by the official taste of the New State and not only.

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