The most comprehensive study to date of the Chapel of St John the Baptist, Lisbon. Experts in the field describe the history of the Chapel's construction as well as the sculpture, metalwork, textiles and manuscripts inside. The chapel of St John the Baptist is a unique masterpiece of European art, with enormous historical, cultural and artistic importance. It was constructed in its entirety in Rome in the 1740s for a commission by the Portuguese monarch King John V, partially shown at the pontifical city (in 1747 and 1749) and then reassembled in the Church of São Roque in Lisbon. This is a complete and comprehensive study of the chapel, encompassing its design and construction, as well as the extraordinary collections within. Magnificently illustrated with a stunning selection of photographs, this beautiful volume brings together the studies of a number of experts on the chapel's architecture, sculpture, mosaics, metalwork and outstanding collections of silver, textiles, furniture and books. Specialist and non-specialist alike will not fail to be captivated by the extraordinary beauty of this unparalleled architectural and artistic creation. With contributions by António Filipe Pimentel, Carlo Stefano Salerno, Magda Tassinari, Marialuisa Rizzini, Cristina Pinton Basto and Fatima Rezende Gomes.

Discover the rich history and culture of some of the world's most influential historical places with these highly illustrated books, packed with information and enlightening descriptions

In 1755, the famous Portuguese tile maker Pêro Manuel Pires is empathetic to a fault. He is dedicated to freeing slaves with the proceeds of his art and hiring the freed to work in his tile factory, triggering rage and repercussions from a competitor. Pêro harbors a female artist whose risqué creations keep the shop’s works in demand by Lisbon’s elite. The success of her designs does not sit well with one of Pêro’s longtime workers, bringing him and his loved ones under the menacing eye of the Inquisition, with threat of imprisonment and closure of his shop. Risking his life and liberty, Pêro is determined to push forward. But on All Saints Day, November 1st, Portugal is struck by earthquakes, tidal waves and massive fires, and Pêro loses what is most dear to him. Will he escape? Or stay to fight for freedom and the future? A historical novel set in 18th century Lisbon, Cut From The Earth is a riveting story of courage, determination and survival.

Winner of the Phi Alpha Theta Best Subsequent Book Award A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist The captivating and definitive account of the Great Lisbon Earthquake--the most consequential natural disaster of modern times. On All Saints’ Day 1755, tremors from an earthquake measuring approximately 9.0 or perhaps higher on the magnitude scale swept furiously toward Lisbon, then one of the wealthiest cities in the world and the capital of a vast global empire. Within minutes, much of the city lay in ruins. A half hour later, a giant tsunami unleashed by the quake smashed into Portugal’s coastline and barreled up the Tagus River, carrying countless thousands out to sea. To complete Lisbon’s destruction, a hellacious firestorm then engulfed the city’s shattered remains, killing thousands more and incinerating much of what the earthquake and tsunami had spared. Drawing on a wealth of new sources, the latest scientific research, and a sophisticated grasp of European history, Mark Molesky gives us the gripping, authoritative account of the Great Lisbon Earthquake disaster and its impact on the Western world—including descriptions of the world’s first international relief effort, the rise of a brutal, yet modernizing, dictatorship in Portugal, and the effect of the catastrophe on the spirit and direction of the European Enlightenment.