The Regional Directorate for Culture, through the Carlos Machado Museum, receives the estate of Ernesto Canto da Maia next Wednesday, January 17, which will be stored at the Museum's facilities for a period of indefinite duration. This important estate includes paintings, plasters, postcards, clothing and everyday objects as well as a remarkable collection of documents that includes letters, notebooks and journals.
The decision to house this estate at the Museum as a place of memory and identity was taken by Canto da Maia's heirs, especially his daughter Marie Canto da Maia. It evidences a great civic and heritage awareness, and the concern to ensure the preservation of the estate.
Since 2012, the Carlos Machado Museum has been exhibiting one of the most significant collections of Canto da Maia's artwork at the Santa Bárbara Centre in Ponta Delgada.
This exhibition features more than 30 works by the sculptor, including "Adam and Eve (Hymn of Love)" and "Blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb," marking the various phases of his artistic journey.
One of the most important figures in the national artistic scene of the first half of the 20th century, Canto da Maia rose to international prominence and his works are featured in notable collections and museums.
The Carlos Machado Museum expresses its recognition for the gesture of the Canto da Maia's family and for the unmistakable interest in preserving this estate. It will enrich the knowledge about the life and work of one of the most prominent sculptors of modernism in Portugal.