MMIPO - Museu da Misericórdia do Porto

"Over the centuries, the building has undergone several changes, the most recent being its adaptation for museum functions. The Museum has the dual objective of making known the history of Santa Casa da Misericórdia do Porto and its institutional purposes, as well as publicizing its art collections, through the provision of a set of resources that reflect the memory and the identity of this organization, projecting it into the future. A visit to the Museum is also an opportunity to learn more about the past and present of this area of the city. The museum route includes the Igreja da Misericórdia, a 16th century building that received a major intervention in the 18th century led by Nicolau Nasoni, and the Galeria dos Benfeitores, an example of the city's iron and glass architecture. The greatest work of Flemish painting, Fons Vitae is a testament to the city's strength and its connections to Northern Europe in the 16th century. The theme of Fons Pietatis, central to the painting, was widespread in medieval times in northern and central Europe, linked to the “Last Judgment”. It is also associated with the cult of the “Holy Blood” and, from this, with many other variants that have received great devotional reception, such as the cult of “Santo Lenho and Vera Cruz”. Thus, two important iconographic themes converge in Fons Vitae: > On the earthly level, the royal iconography of D. Manuel I, which is perhaps the only existing work in which the monarch is portrayed with the attributes inherent to his political ideology and spiritual framework; > On the celestial plane, the theme of “Calvary” associated with the “Fountain of Life” and “Piety”, with the Portuguese coat of arms including the cross of Christ and the five wounds."

"Have a little enrichment time in this enclosure. It's good for you."