Marques, T. P., F. M. Rodrigues, A. Silva, L. Silva, J. Bicho, S. Costa, A. S. Silva, J. Monteiro & J. M. Lameiras, 2008, Arte Paisagista no Norte de Portugal [www.artepaisagista.utad.pt], University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD); Foundation for Science and Technology; Program Science & Innovation 2010.
- Author : Marques, T. P., F. M. Rodrigues, A. Silva, L. Silva, J. Bicho, S. Costa, A. S. Silva, J. Monteiro & J. M. Lameiras
- Year : 2008
- Title English : Landscape Art in the North of Portugal [www.artepaisagista.utad.pt]
- Pages : N/A
- Publisher : University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD); Foundation for Science and Technology; Program Science & Innovation 2010.
- Abstract in English : It is commonly accepted that the production of lists on any country’s heritage is a fundamental means to acknowledge, safeguard and conserve it. The fragility of the landscape art demands even more urgency in the process of identifying and understanding its historical and artistic values. This work intended to enlarge the knowledge on the landscape art in northern Portugal, specifically in the northeast region which hasn’t been subject of a thorough research on this field. It was believed that focusing on this region would generate opportunities to properly assess the sites on their own right. This means that sites were evaluated at a regional scale and not primarily against the major landscape works that are more abundant in and around the artistically most important cities and regions of the country. This physical delimitation, although covering an area as large as about 13000 km2 on a quite hilly landscape, allowed the research team to travel and visit the whole region and more than 810 sites that had first been identified in books, monographies, historical accounts, photos and pictures, and other archival sources of information. By landscape art we mean the sites that were intentionally designed primarily for amenity purposes, in particular private and public gardens, parks and grounds. Yet, it was also acknowledged that sites that were designed for other reasons rather than amenity, like agricultural production or worship, but that reveal a particular understanding of the original qualities of the landscape and special skills on its transformation into places with special artistic value, should also be taken into consideration. On the whole, 273 sites were considered of relevance and among these about 50 were considered of special interest - they are of regional or national relevance - and deserve a special reference. The final result of this research is a digital online interface, at http://www.artepaisagista.utad.pt, that presents the sites investigated. To each site it was produced a physical and historical description, as well as general information about typology, geographical location, ownership, physical condition. Recent photographs are also provided as well as older pictures and plans, whenever available. The digital interface is of open access to any person and visitors are invited to update it through the upload of information they may consider of relevance to a more accurate understanding of the places. This interface can then become an essential tool to gather and present information on the sites and, consequently, to draw attention to their artistic and historical interest as well as to the need of protecting and conserving them.
- Comments/Notes : http://www.artepaisagista.utad.pt