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Top 10 Pieces of Artwork You Can See in Lisbon
Lisbon is most well known for its architecture, azulejo tile work, buzzing nightlife, beautiful scenery and delicious food. But, did you know that it is an excellent place to admire artwork too?!
Save a few afternoons of your Lisbon trip to head to some museums. There are several to choose from and to explore, ensuring that you’ll never run out of things to do! If you’re unsure of what kind of artwork you can see in Lisbon, you’ve come to the right place. Save this article for your next trip to the Portuguese capital!
1. Femme dans un fauteuil (Métamorphose) by Pablo Picasso
A list of must-see artwork would be incomplete without at least one mention of the master Pablo Picasso. Picasso was a Spanish painter that is most famous for founding the cubism art movement, and who spent most of his adult life in France. He gained famed during his lifetime, and is one of the most well known and respected artists of the 20th century.
Femme dans un fauteuil (Métamorphose) by Pablo Picasso – Pedro Ribeiro Simões – Flickr
In Lisbon, you’ll find his painting, Femme dans un fauteuil (Métamorphose)(Woman in an armchair (Metamorphosis)) at the Berardo Collection Museum. At this time, Picasso was inspired by his Surrealist poet friends, and this painting marks the beginning of his new style, cubism.
Practical information for visiting the Berardo Collection Museum
Entry fee: 5 euros, free admission on Saturday
Opening hours: Every day 10am-7pm
Address: Praça do Império, 1449-003 Lisboa, Portugal
2. Portrait of Helena Fourment by Peter Paul Rubens
Portrait of Helena Fourment by Peter Paul Rubens – WikiCommons
The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon was founded in 1969 by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The foundation is one of the wealthiest foundations in the world, and works towards improving the quality of life around the world through art and cultural events.
Portrait of Helena Fourment by Peter Paul Rubens is just one of many 17th century pieces in the museum. It depicts Helena Fourment, the Flemish artist’s second wife. Rubens is considered to be one of the most influential painters of the Flemish Baroque period.
Practical information for visiting the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Entry fee: 10 euros
Opening hours: Every day except Tuesday 10am-6pm
Address: Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal
3. Boy Blowing Bubbles by Édouard Manet
Boy Blowing Bubbles by Édouard Manet – WikiCommons
Boy Blowing Bubbles by the French painter Édouard Manet is also houses at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum! Manet lived and worked in Paris in the 19th century. He is known for his role in the transition from Realism to Impressionism in France at the time.
Manet’s most celebrated painting is Le déjeuner sur l’herbe (The Luncheon on the Grass), which you may recognize if you’ve ever visited the Musée d’Orsay in Paris.
Boy Blowing Bubbles depicts the painters illegitimate son, Léon Koelin-Leenhoff, blowing soap bubbles. Some art critics argue that the painting represents the fleeting aspect of life.
Practical information for visiting the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
Entry fee: 10 euros
Opening hours: Every day except Tuesday 10am-6pm
Address: Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal
4. Saint Vincent Panels by Nuno Gonçalves
Saint Vincent Panels by Nuno Gonçalves – WikiCommons
The Saint Vincent Panels by Portuguese artist Nuno Conçalves are a polyptych made up of 6 different panels. A polyptych is simply a painting that has been divided into different sections (panels). This method was usually seen in churches or cathedrals.
Scholars have determined that the Saint Vincent Panels were painted around 1450. The work contains 6 panels which depict scenes of idolization of Saint Vincent of Saragossa, the patron saint of Lisbon.
The Saint Vincent Panels were discovered in the late 19th century in the Saint Vicente de Fora monastery in Lisbon, and today it is housed in the National Museum of Antique Art.
Practical information for visiting the National Museum of Antique Art
Entry fee: 6 euros
Opening hours: Every day except Monday 10am-6pm
Address: R. das Janelas Verdes, 1249-017 Lisboa, Portugal
5. Portrait of Judy Garland by Andy Warhol
Some other pieces by Andy Warhol as seen in the Berardo Collection Museum by Pedro Ribeiro Simões – Flickr
Portrait of Judy Garland by Andy Warhol is another must-see artwork housed in the Berardo Collection Museum. Warhol was an American artist known for his movies, printmaking, painting and photography. He is probably most famous for his depictions of everyday items such as the Campbell’s coup can and the Coca Cola glass bottle.
Warhol also painting several portraits of famous actors, actresses and singers of the 20th century. These include Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, Elis Presley and, of course, Judy Garland.
Practical information for visiting the Berardo Collection Museum
Entry fee: 5 euros, free admission on Saturday
Opening hours: Every day 10am-7pm
Address: Praça do Império, 1449-003 Lisboa, Portugal
6. O Desterrado by António Soares dos Reis
One version of António Soares dos Reis’ masterpiece O Desterrado by Manuelvbotelho – WikiCommons
António Soares dos Reis was a celebrated Portuguese sculptor. Reis studied sculptor around the world, in particular in Paris and in Rome. O Desterrado (The Exiled) is considered to be his most impressive work, which he completed in Rome.
Today the sculpture is on display at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Lisbon. The museum was inaugurated in 1911, and features artwork from 1850 to 1950. It honors Portuguese artists from the Romanticism, Naturalism and Modernism periods.
Practical information for visiting the National Museum of Contemporary Art
Entry fee:
Opening hours: Every day except Monday 10am-6pm
Address: R. Serpa Pinto 4, 1200-444 Lisboa, Portugal
7. O Fado by José Malhoa
O Fado by José Malhoa – WikiCommons
You can’t visit Lisbon without a little bit of fado music! Fado is a genre of music that began in Lisbon in the 1820s. It is a melancholic kind of music, and most songs sing of longing, sorrow and loss. Common themes seem to be the sea, the life of the poor or feelings of loss. Fado music is definitely not upbeat, but it is beautiful.
You’ll find Malhoa’s O Fado in the Fado Museum! This museum’s mission is to celebrate this traditional Portuguese music genre and the musicians and artists that were born from it.
Practical information for visiting the Fado Museum
Entry fee: 5 euros
Opening hours: Every day except Monday 10am-5:30pm
Address: Alfama, Largo do Chafariz de Dentro 1, 1100-139 Lisboa, Portugal
8. Interior with Restful Paintings by Roy Lichtenstein
Roy Lichtenstein in 1967 in front of one of his paintings. Interior with Restful Paintings features the same techniques. By Eric Koch – WikiCommons
Interior with Restful Paintings is yet another piece of artwork that you can find in the Berardo Collection Museum. I told you that you would need to set aside some time to see all of this amazing artwork! As a side note, I recommend you spend at least a few hours in this museum to see everything that you need to see.
Roy Lichtenstein was an American artist that lived and worked throughout the 20th century. He was painting around the same time as Andy Warhol, and their styles are sometimes similar. Lichtenstein is most famous for his renderings that are similar to images found in comic books. Interior with Restful Paintings is an excellent example of this!
Practical information for visiting the Berardo Collection Museum
Entry fee: 5 euros, free admission on Saturday
Opening hours: Every day 10am-7pm
Address: Praça do Império, 1449-003 Lisboa, Portugal
9. The permanent collections at the Museum of the Orient
As seen in the Museum of the Orient in Lisbon by Vitor Oliveira – Flickr
The Museum of the Orient opened in Lisbon in 2008 as a way to comment on the Portuguese influence in Asia throughout the centuries of colonization. The museum hopes to bridge the gap, and open a dialogue, between Europe and Asia.
I couldn’t chose just one piece of artwork from the Museum of the Orient, so I suggest that you head to their permanent collections and get lost for a few hours. You’ll find paintings, sculptures, ceramics and artefacts among the 13,000 different objects on display!
I especially love the Chinese ceramics section.
Practical information for visiting the Museum of the Orient
Entry fee: 6 euros
Opening hours: Every day except Monday 10am-6pm
Address: Doca de Alcantara Norte, Av. Brasília, 1350-352 Lisboa, Portugal
10. Madre Deus Convent, or the National Tile Museum
National Tile Museum in Lisbon by Iantomferry – WikiCommons
The last piece of must-see artwork on my list isn’t a painting or a sculpture, but rather a collection of spectacular tile work. Portugal is world famous for it’s use of azulejo tile work, and there is an entire museum dedicated to it in Lisbon!
The National Tile Museum is home to one of the largest ceramic collections in the world. It is located in a former convent named Madre Deus, and features tiles from the 15th century until today.
It was impossible for me to choose just one piece of azulejo, which is why I suggest that you head to this museum yourselves to admire the beauty and craftsmanship that goes into this type of art!
Practical information for visiting the National Tile Museum
Entry fee: 5 euros
Opening hours: Every day except Monday 10am-6pm
Address: R. Me. Deus 4, 1900-312 Lisboa, Portugal
Conclusion
I hope that you’ve got some ideas for your Lisbon vacation! There are so many different museums and pieces of artwork to admire, and I hope that this list will help you see the best of the best.
Bookmark this article so that you know exactly where to head!
If you have some more time in Lisbon that you’re hoping to fill, I encourage you to check out our walking tour options. Click here to learn more and make your booking!
