- CountryPortugal
- Town:Lisbon
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Year of creation:1775
- Rider(s):Josepho I
(1714–1777), the Reformer, became king in 1750 when he was 35 years old, and almost immediately placed effective power in the hands of the Marquis of Pombal. The history of José’s reign is that of Pombal. During his reign, the great Lisbon earthquake struck in 1755, in which around 100,000 people lost their lives. The earthquake caused José to suffer from severe claustrophobia and he was never again comfortable living within a walled building. Consequently, he moved the royal court to an extensive complex of tents in the hills of Ajuda. The capital was eventually rebuilt at considerable cost.
- Sculptor(s):Machado de Castro, Joaquim
(1731 –1822) was one of Portugal’s foremost sculptors. He wrote extensively on his works and the theory behind them, including a full-length discussion of the statue of King Joseph I entitled Descripção analytica da execução da estatua equestre, Lisbon 1810.
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His monumental equestrian statue was part of the rebuilding of the city after the earthquake.
The statue, overlooking the Tagus River, still dominates Lisbon’s main plaza, the Praça do Comércio; in the past a car park, nowadays a pleasant setting for the statue.
