Manuel Gustavo Bordalo Pinheiro # 2: drawing stories (1880s-1890s)

The early 1880s, marked by the death of his grandfather Manuel Maria, were a crucial period in Manuel Gustavo's artistic career.

Manuel Gustavo posed a number of times as a model for his uncle Columbano, who captured his childhood in various works,
including this painting of the young man focussed intently on playing a piece on the piano.

Albums or sketch books were another recurring element in the apprenticeship of young illustrators, particularly those dedicated to plein air depictions of landscapes.


Dating from 1883, this album contains Manuel Gustavo's earliest known drawings, including various studies of the human figure in charcoal.

Since 1884, the year he made his début in O Antonio Maria with the illustration ‘Inda é noite…’ [The sun hasn’t yet risen] (01.05.1884), Manuel Gustavo was a constant presence in Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro's satirical newspapers, distinguishing himself as a cartoonist in Pontos nos ii from 1887 onwards, with the publication of entire pages dedicated to political cartoons.


Rafael Bordalo's prolonged sojourns in Caldas da Rainha, where he had begun working at his recently inaugurated Faience Factory, gave Manuel Gustavo the space to dedicate himself to the newspaper, where he was responsible for illustrating various sections of the publication.


From Caldas da Rainha, Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro also sent illustrations for many of the newspaper's pages, which Manuel took charge of transposing into lithographs.


In 1889, the year Rafael was in Paris to oversee the decoration of the Portuguese Pavilion at the Exposition Universelle, Manuel Gustavo single handedly illustrated 12 sections for Pontos nos ii.

And so it began. Manuel Gustavo set out on his path by illustrating comic anecdotes in his father's periodicals, a collaboration that was, at first, sporadic.


Among the everyday themes he focused on were beach outings.

In 1884, Rafael founded the Caldas da Rainha Faience Factory.

Family gatherings were captured in photographs. This one is of a picnic in what appears to be Foz do Arelho.


On the left side, a young Manuel Gustavo (2) stands next to his uncle Columbano (3) and his aunt Maria Augusta (6). On the right side, Rafael, his father, (5) is next to Elvira, his mother (6).

1889 was marked by his father's absence, which led to a greater volume of work for Manuel Gustavo.


Rafael journeyed to Paris to plan and oversee the decoration of the Portuguese Pavilion at the Exposition Universelle, which his son also visited.

Special number dedicated to the Universal Exhibition of Paris published in Pontos nos ii in 1889.

The main contributors to Pontos nos ii: Manuel Gustavo, Pan Tarântula (Alfredo Morais Pinto), who wrote many of the periodical's texts, and Rafael.


In the background is the recently inaugurated Eiffel Tower.

The young artist was given an opportunity to solely illustrate entire sections of the newspaper Pontos nos ii.


Writing from Paris, Rafael offered his encouragement:

'My dear Manuel, (...)'

'(…) You can be certain that your drawings are on par with the best of what is produced here in France. This is why I have sent you all the leading newspapers that are published here so you can gain the confidence in yourself that you so need.(…)’

In June 1890, Eugénio de Castro, a friend of the artist, described his sensitive personality as follows:

'He is an excellent fellow who has the wonderful temperament of an artist; aside from these rare qualities, he is possessed of a clear, penetrating spirit like few others (...) His greatest defect is to view (...)'

'(...) the world through the blue-tinted glasses of disillusion, rather than with the monocle of sarcastic derision. After all, the truth, my friend, is that our decadence is enough to make one laugh (...)'

In 1892, Manuel Gustavo collaborated with his father on the Columbian Historical Exposition in Madrid and was made a Knight of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic.

In the 1890s, various drawings showcased Manuel Gustavo's interest in sports, including football, bicycle racing and tennis, the latter of which he played for many years.

In his drawings, Manuel Gustavo registered his constant presence at Sporting Club and Club do Monte Estoril, where events were frequented by the wealthy bourgeoisie of Cascais.

Manuel Gustavo began his career as a Drawing Instructor at the Rodrigues Sampaio School in 1896.

As an amateur fencer studying under Master António Martins, Manuel Gustavo took part in fencing matinees at Real Ginásio Club Português in 1886 and at the Salão da Trindade Tournaments in 1898 and 1899.