In November, my daughter was invited to give a talk on painting conservation techniques at the University of Lisbon. When I expressed envy (as I’d had a wonderful holiday there a few years ago), I was invited to accompany her as a birthday present, which I accepted with great pleasure.
I was persuaded to travel ‘wheelchair assisted’ as we were to travel by Easyjet and Sarah knew I would not be capable of racing across the tarmac to grab a good seat I won’t bore you with the complications of cancelled trains, work on the underground, my metal knee setting off the security alarm, Sarah’s homoeopathic medicines (small phials of white powder) being questioned as illegal drugs and a rather overweight airport attendant shrieking that we were going to miss the flight and then Sarah having to run, pushing me in the wheelchair and pulling my suitcase, but it was worthy of ‘Carry On Up the Airport’.
The conservation department is in the newer part of the university on the south side of the Tagus. It is a marvellous facility, with a huge studio for each of the many disciplines, books textiles, paper, photographs, paintings, ceramics, film and several others. Each studio was so well equipped that I can imagine it being the envy of many UK departments, but then Portugal has the continually increasing endowment of the Gulbenkian Foundation, which provides the funding for many forms of art.
I was taken to see the textile conservation department, where twelve students were sitting along the side of a long bench working on a C16th silk tapestry, which was in a sad state, very dirty and worn round the edges and with several holes. Before it could be washed, it was being mounted on a silk backing sheet with tiny running stitches. What a labour of love. I was able to talk to the students for they all spoke excellent English. Since most conservation literature published is in English, to be fluent in the language is a requirement to join a course. I talked to one woman assistant from Romania, who was in Lisbon because in her country, the only art conservation is on icons. She had, therefore, also worked in Florence and Paris in order to gain the necessary experience of conserving other art forms.
One of my favourite parts of the city is the Baixa at the bottom of the hill from the old Jewish quarter. After the earthquake, the area was rebuilt in a grid pattern and the designer, Pombal, intended that the streets take the names of the crafts and businesses carried out there like Rua da Prata (Silversmiths’ street) and Rua da Sapateiros (Cobblers’ street). Although modern banks and offices have somewhat disturbed these divisions, plenty of traditional stores remain: the central section of Rua da Conceicao is lined on either side with haberdashers. Beads, ribbons, sequins, buttons of every sort, silks and fabrics in mouth-wateringly gorgeous colours, patterns and weaves. If you go to Lisbon, don’t miss it.