The Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara, Lisboa - The 25th of April 2015

As I left home Saturday morning I had no idea I'd end up at the Convent of São Pedro de Alcântara, whose main entrance arcade I had so often passed by yet never ventured in, but I am particularly happy I finally managed to visit a fairly well "hidden" treasure of religious Art I am sure many Lisbon city dwellers like myself had no idea it existed.

 

Its foundation is said to have been due to the initiative of the 1st Marquis of Marialva, 3rd Count of Cantanhede, who in 1665 on the eve of the Battle of Montes Claros made a vow to have a convent dedicated to St. Peter of Alcântara erected, if the Portuguese were to win that battle. Some years later, to be more precise, in 1670 the site was offered to the Capuchin Franciscans Order as in accordance with a Royal authorization with Verissimo de Lencastre (1615-1692) Cardinal and Grand Inquisitor of the kingdom supporting the foundation by means of donations.

 

The church atrium walls are covered with 18th century tile panels depicting scenes of charity carried out by the Franciscan monks.

To its right is the Chapel of the Lencastres bearing the  family name of the Cardinal, who had shown a particular interest in being buried in the Convent.. His brother together with a nephew are said to have had this particularly sumptuous chapel built with inlaid marble walls and ceilings.

The church itself, which was built in 1681 was worth looking at thoroughly. The side walls were covered with baroque glazed tile panels depicting scenes on the life of St. Peter of Alcântara, some of which were quite impressive. Equally impressive was the tromp d'oeil ceiling said to have been made by the French painter Pierre Bordes and some of the paintings, namely the ecstasy of Saint Peter of Alcântara to be seen in the high altar

 

 

I must say I was impressed with this little Convent, pertaining to Santa Casa da Misericordia since 1833, which I had no idea could be visited, and more so because I would have never imagined the richness and beauty that could lie inside such a humble looking entrance.

 

The water diviner ...

Based on a book by Andrew Anastasios and Dr. Meaghan Wilson-Anastasios bearing the same name as the film, the Water Diviner is a historical fictional film directed by Russel Crow, who also plays one of the main characters in it.

 

 

Set in 1919 the film centres on an Australian farmer, Joshua Connor who travels to Turkey in the aftermath of the Gallipoli/Anzac battle to trace his three sons presumably killed in it and bring them back home to be buried beside their mother, who not having overcome the grief of having lost them committed suicide.

 

 

More than a simple heart warming journey in which a father's determination is the key to overcome the seemingly unsurmountable obstacles in his path, the picture also captures both sides of the war perspectives in a rather "subtle" way, with some of the dialogues between Connor and the Turkish officer, Major Hasan assisting in the Anzacs mass burial identification process conveying a depth that may not be immediately understood as such, or the very few initial words pronounced between him and Ayshe, the Turkish lady he was lodged a,t meaningfully profound.



Flahsbacks of  moments with his sons as children, the strong connection they had and the role the Arabian Nights' book played in "difficult" times were touching and equally touching those in which he instinctly knows where his two children's graves are located at, (as if he were digging for water and knew precisely where to dig), as well as identifying where his oldest son, who survived the ordeal, was based on the sighting of a detail ...


 

 

I am not surprised the Turkish film maker, actor and poet Yilmaz Erdogan, who played the role of the Turkish officer Major Hasan was acknowledged as the best supporting actor at the 4th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts awards, because he did perform brilliantly, but so did young Dylan Georgiades who played the role of Orhan, not to mention the "Turkish" Olga Kuryalenko and Russel Crowe himself in the roles of Ayshe and Connor respectively. 

 

 

 

I was particularly touched by this film, namely because I am sensitive to matters related to instinctive feelings and death, (possibly based on my personal experience regarding the loss of one of my children and how I knew it), but also the fact that I enjoy close up and still images which I feel provide an atmosphere of reflexion and greater intimacy with the viewer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dance of the Peacock - Jewellery and worshipping objects in tribal India - temporary exhibition at Museu do Oriente, Lisboa - the 19th of April 2015

Just before leaving the Museum I walked into one last exhibiting room close to the bookshop where a series of photographs and artefacts from the main tribes pertaining to the Indian provinces of Chhattisgarth and Orissa were in display. 

Having been the result of Tereza Seabra's research work in the Indian territory the exhibit was very interesting and extensively supported by a thorough written analysis  to be found on several texts hanging on the walls, though they were all written in Portuguese, thus most probably not understood by many of the foreign visitors, which was a pity.