National Museum of the Azulejo

{{Infobox museum | name = National Tile Museum | native_name = Museu Nacional do Azulejo | native_name_lang = pt | logo = | image = Convento da Madre de Deus - Lisboa - Portugal (46913633574).jpg | map_type = | former_name = | established = 1965 | location = Rua da Madre de Deus, 4, 1900-312 Lisboa, {{flag|Portugal}} | type = | coordinates = {{coord|38|43|28|N|9|06|50|W|region:PT-11_type:landmark_source:kolossus-dewiki|display=inline,title}} | director = Maria Antónia Pinto de Matos | website = <div class="plainlinksneverexpand">{{URL|www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt}}</div> }}

The '''Museu Nacional do Azulejo''' (Portuguese for '''National Museum of the Azulejo'''), occasionally known in English as the '''National Tile Museum''', is an art museum in Lisbon, Portugal dedicated to the azulejo, traditional tilework of Portugal and the former Portuguese Empire, as well as of other Iberophone cultures.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipmuseus.pt/pt-PT/museus_palacios/ContentDetail.aspx?id=1119 |title=Museu Nacional do Azulejo |access-date=2012-05-13 |work=Instituto dos Museus e da Conservação |publisher=Government of Portugal |language=pt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511085517/http://www.ipmuseus.pt/pt-PT/museus_palacios/ContentDetail.aspx?id=1119 |archive-date=11 May 2012 }}</ref> Housed in the former Madre de Deus Convent, the museum's collection is one of the largest of ceramics in the world.

==History== [[File:Convento da Madre de Deus - Lisboa - Portugal (43675795284).jpg|thumb|left|The Portuguese Renaissance choir of Madre de Deus Convent.]] The National Tile Museum was established in 1965 and became a National Museum in 1980. It is located in the former Convent of Madre Deus, founded by Queen D. Leonor in 1509. The Museum went through different building campaigns that involved transformations such as in its 16th-century mannerist cloister; the church which is decorated with remarkable sets of paintings and tiles; the sacristy featuring a Brazilian wood display cabinet and carved wood frames with paintings; the high choir with rich carved gilt wood embellishments; the Chapel of Saint Anthony with an 18th-century Baroque decoration and a significant number of canvases by the painter André Gonçalves.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.patrimoniocultural.gov.pt/en/museus-e-monumentos/rede-portuguesa/m/museu-nacional-do-azulejo/|title=DGPC {{!}} Museums and Monuments {{!}} Portugues Network of Museums {{!}} National Tile Museum|website=patrimoniocultural.gov.pt|language=en|access-date=2017-12-26}}</ref>

==Collection== The museum collection features decorative ceramic tiles or azulejos from the second half of the 15th century to the present day. Besides tiles, it includes ceramics, porcelain and faience from the 19th to the 20th century. Its permanent exhibition starts with a display of the materials and techniques used for manufacturing tiles. After this the exhibition route follows a chronological order.<ref name=":0" />

=== Permanent exhibition === The permanent exhibition of the museum is displayed in the rooms of ancient monastery and shows the history of tile heritage in Portugal from 16th century until the modern times. The church, the chapels of Saint Anthony and Queen Leonor, and the choir are parts of this exhibition as well.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/en-GB/ExhibitAct/PermExhibit/ContentList.aspx|title=Permanent Exhibition|website=museudoazulejo.gov.pt|language=en|access-date=2017-12-27|archive-date=27 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227235518/http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/en-GB/ExhibitAct/PermExhibit/ContentList.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<gallery mode=packed-hover heights=150px perrow="2"> File:Azulejo December 2012-3.jpg|17th century panel. File:Azulejo-Museum1.jpg|''Nossa Senhora da Vida retabule''; 16th century. File:Terreiro do Paço Lisboa.jpg|''Great View of Lisbon''; c. 1700. File:Hunting Room (Lisbon, 1680) - Named "Hunting Room" from the scenes represented in the panels animals chasing each other (29658298078).jpg|''The Hunting Room''; 1680. File:Alegoria Eucarística - Lisboa, c. 1660, proveniente do antigo Convento de Sant'Ana (MNAz inv. 161 Az).png|''Eucharistic Allegory''; c. 1660. File:Lisboa em1018 2073110 (40166840992).jpg|18th century panel. </gallery>

=== Temporary exhibitions === A number of exhibitions are displayed in the museum for a certain period, as "The Art of Tiles in Portugal" in 2000, "Ana Vilela tells her stories about tiles" in 2008, "Me and the Museum" in 2016,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/en-GB/ExhibitAct/TempExhibit/PastExhibit/ArchiveList.aspx|title=Past exhibitions|website=museudoazulejo.gov.pt|language=en|access-date=2017-12-27|archive-date=27 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227235514/http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/en-GB/ExhibitAct/TempExhibit/PastExhibit/ArchiveList.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>"From the Shadows of Kyoto to the Light of Lisbon" in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/en-GB/ExhibitAct/TempExhibit/OnView/ContentList.aspx|title=Temporary exhibitions – on view|website=museudoazulejo.gov.pt|language=en|access-date=2017-12-27|archive-date=27 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227235522/http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/en-GB/ExhibitAct/TempExhibit/OnView/ContentList.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Museu Nacional do Azulejo|National Azulejo Museum}} *{{Official website|http://www.museudoazulejo.gov.pt/}} {{in lang|pt}} *[https://erasmusu.com/en/erasmus-lisbon/what-to-see/museu-nacional-do-azulejo-national-tile-museum-15567 National Tile Museum] {{in lang|en}} *[https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/national-azulejo-museum National Azulejo Museum] on Google Arts & Culture

Category:Museums in Lisbon Category:Ceramics museums Category:Art museums and galleries in Portugal Category:1965 establishments in Portugal Category:Museums established in 1965