Èvora, Portugal part 5 – Museum church São Francisco

The 2014-2015 work restored the area of the former dormitory, situated over the Chapter House and the Chapel of Bones, unused since the late 19th century. A small museum has been established, based on the collections of the convent itself and from other former Franciscan convents in Évora. It includes works by painters such as Francisco João and António de Oliveira Bernardes, 16th to 18th-century sculptures, a collection of sacred silver from the same period, with a special focus on local craftsmen, paraments and devotional objects, in a chronological and interpretative tour of religious and social life in Évora. After the restoration of the church, the upper galleries over the side chapels were opened to the public. In keeping with Franciscan spirituality, here we can find an exhibition of nativity scenes from the huge private collection of Major-General Fernando Canha da Silva and his wife Fernanda Canha da Silva, their religious background and beliefs having inspired them to reach an agreement with the Church of São Francisco. In the two galleries, we can admire hundreds of Portuguese and international nativity scenes by countless different artisans, varied compositions and different materials, representative of both folk art and fine artistic skill. Text: Igreja São Francisco, Èvora, Portugal