Manini diseñador en la Quinta da Regaleira: el lenguaje clásico de una obra “neomanuelina” (1898-1912)

Abstract

Between 1898 and 1912, Luigi Manini projected in the mountains of Sintra the most representative work of his prolific career: the Quinta da Regaleira . The building was a total work of art, which destiny will be to stand as the most representative work of finisecular neomanueline, portuguese architecture. However, as will be discussed below, this label -widely socialized and commonly officialized- may be revised, according to the many and profuse stylistic elements of a classic background that have contaminated Manini´s decorative grammar. Even if the main manueline works of XVI century - clearly dominated by a medieval like style - have always been seasoned with small italian and classic references, when we talk about Quinta da Regaleira , it is made evident that there is a disproportion in favor of the second one, that equilibrates both of them artistic styles. Hence, this article tries to illustrate the presence of two very well measured and proportionate antagonistic languages: classical and medieval. Both functions as stylistic hinges, intertwined, facilitating the coexistence of both artistic traditions. The ultimate goal of such displaying of eclecticism is the harmonious achieving of a highly integrated set, both nicely conjugated and proportionate. Through the creation of new figurative hybridizations, Manini achieved the conciliator miracle between two opposite worlds. Therefore, this paper proposes a rereading of the analysis of the named work, on the basis of a new approach, focused on the continuous reuse and reinvention of the classical rhetoric, that Manini introduced in the Quinta da Regaleira through his ornamental scheme, which final result is the neutralization of medieval excesses which characterize the manueline, and providing the set of a certain renaissance proportionality. All this will force a redefinition of the decorative program of Regaleira , in which, perhaps, we should better talk about a “classic neo manueline” than an “orthodox manueline” with a clear medieval predominance.