Statues - Hither & Thither

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Lisboa
(Fr. de Santa Maria Maior)
Lisboa (distrito)
Lisboa (região)

Largo do Carmo €
(Convento do Carmo - Museu Arqueológico do Carmo)

São João Nepomuceno

Saint John of Nepomuk

Nepomuk c. 1345 - Praha 1393
Beichtvater der Königin von Böhmen; Schutzpatron der Brücken
confessor of the queen of Bohemia; patron saint of bridges
(Wikipedia)

Giovanni Antonio Bellini
1743

Description

Marble statue of St. John of Nepomuk, stood originally on the Ponte de Alcântara.

The legend says that the sculptor was saved from a shipwreck, thereby assigning the miracle to that saint. The dimensions of this work are: Plinth: 1.17x1.5 m in front and 2.65 m in height; statue with its base: 3.35 m in height, the total height being 6 m. This statue was solemnly blessed on January 8, 1744, in the presence of Queen Maria Anna of Austria (1693-1754), wife of King John V of Portugal (1689-1750), accompanied by the princes. As curiosity the sculptor of this work, Giovanni Antonio Bellini of Padua, was born in Italy in the 90's of the seventeenth century and died during the great earthquake of Lisbon in 1755, since its whereabouts are unknown since that date.

Inscription(s)

s^o ioanni
nepomuceno
novo orbis thaumaturgo
terræ aquis igni aerique
imperanti
atque cum alias
tum præsentim in itinere
maritimo
luculento sospitatori suo
grati animi ergo
hanc statuam
posuit
cliens deuotis
an: reparat: salut:
M.DCC.XLII.

To St. John
of Nepomuk
the new thaumaturge of the world,
the ruler of earth, fire, water
and air,
and above all,
the patron of the seas,
a devotee,
in recognition
for his protector,
after being saved
erected
this statue
in the year
1743

Signature

Ioao an^to d padoa a fes

Artist

Giovanni Antonio Bellini (1690? - Lisboa 1755?), Italian sculptor from Padua.

Sources & Information

Histórias com História, 30 Aug. 2016, A Ponte de Alcântara.

Location (N 38°42'43" - W 9°8'24") (Satellite view: Google Maps)

Item Code: ptli022; Photograph: 28 August 2017
Of each statue we made photos from various angles and also detail photos of the various texts.
If you want to use photos, please contact us via the contact form (in Dutch, English or German).
© Website and photos: René & Peter van der Krogt

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