Levi Guerra room

Atividades

Publicações

O Museu Pio XII, no âmbito da missão desenvolvida pelo Instituto de História e Arte Cristãs (IHAC), reúne um conjunto de publicações que visa promover a inventariação, estudo e divulgação do espólio do Museu e da Arquidiocese de Braga.

Esta Fundação cultural da Arquidiocese de Braga, apoiada na extensão bracarense da Faculdade de Teologia da Universidade Católica Portuguesa e no Seminário Conciliar de S. Pedro e S. Paulo da Arquidiocese de Braga procura promover a inventariação, recolha, organização, conservação, restauro, estudo e investigação do Arquivo Arquidiocesano de Braga e dos valores artísticos e arqueológicos que são património da Igreja Arquidiocesana de Braga.

Ao mesmo tempo, colabora na conservação, enriquecimento e beneficiação dos Museus Pio XII e Medina.

Desde 2017 o Museu Pio XII tem promovido ainda uma coleção de publicações dedicadas a artistas contemporâneos.

Activities

Publications

The Pius XII Museum, in the context of the mission developed by the Institute of Christian History and Art (IHAC), brings together a set of publications that aim to promote cataloguing, studying and disseminating the Museum's legacy. This Cultural Foundation of the Archdiocese of Braga, supported in the extension of the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University of Portugal and the Conciliar Seminary of São Pedro and São Paulo of the Archdiocese of Braga, aims to promote cataloguing, collecting, organising, conserving, restoring, studying and researching the Archdiocesan archive of Braga and the artistic and archaeological values that are a heritage of the Archdiocesan Church of Braga.

At the same time, it collaborates towards conserving, enriching and improving the Pius XII and Medina Museums.

Since 2017, the Pius XII Museum has also promoted a collection of publications dedicated to contemporary artists.

Levi Guerra room

Levi Guerra room

Introduction

In this room there are 73 religious pieces on display, which were given to the Pius XII Museum in 2019 by Levi Guerra.

Some of these works are anchored in the Old Testament (with emphasis on the visions of Amos), whilst others focus on scenes from the New Testament, and others on more current characters.

Those that refer to the New Testament take us on a journey from the Annunciation of Our Lady, to the Visitation, the nativity, the flight to Egypt, the Last Supper, the Calvary and crucifixion, the Resurrection and even to the disciples of Emmaus…

Levi Guerra room

The artist

A graduate of medicine, he first worked at Santo António Hospital in Porto. He got scholarships to study in Paris, the United States, Denmark… When he returned, he was Medical Service Head at Santo António Hospital (1981-85) and then transferred to São João Hospital. He was director of São João Hospital (1988-91).

In 2013 he received the National Health Award, from the Ministry of Health. He also went on to win others: the Dra. Maria Raquel Ribeiro Award in 2015, from the Portuguese Association of Psychogerontology; Medal of Honour (gold) from the City, from Porto City Council (2016); Medal of Honour (gold) from the Portuguese Medical Association (2016).

Levi Guerra

Levi Eugénio Ribeiro Guerra, originally from Águeda, is a doctor and retired Professor at the Porto Faculty of Medicine and retired Director of São João Hospital's Nephrology Department, which he founded (1993).

Levi Guerra room

The works

Levi Guerra, artist and doctor, has donated 73 pieces of art to the Pius XII Museum, divided into Old Testament (where the views of Amos stand out) and, mainly, New Testament themes. Here, a significant section touches on the beginning of the mystery of redemption (visitation, birth of Jesus…), the largest part covers the themes of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Some of important historical figures from olden times and the present are also featured here.

The paintings have power, colour and drama, realism and, in Calvary scenes, living agony.
This is the reflection of an artist who knows, or, given than he has been a doctor, the tenderness of some of life’s sweet moments, but also the hardship of times when the skies are grey.
To discover the religious works of Levi Guerra is to travel, through the paintings, through the human soul, from the gentleness of dawn, to the darkness of dusk.