Madeira - Day 18 - Franco Gallery

The day started with coffee on the terrace out of my first souvenir. I think I may get a second one so I will have 2 at home. I then got a WhatsApp video call (I didn't know I could do video on it!) from Mark, visiting Mum and Dad in the Canary Islands. So nice to see and talk to them.

I have walked past this building a number of times on my way down to the sea front. This time I decided to investigate.

A museum (art gallery) and, better yet, it was free.

The signage was in Portuguese but each room had translation pages.

The gallery showcased the works of Henrique and Fransisco Franco who were born in Madeira.

Girl, 1910, Henrique Franco. Henrique's work was mostly in oils so difficult to get a photo without the glare. None of his subjects looked particularly happy.

Even his self portrait, 1920.

I much preferred his water colours. Madeira Landscape, 1923.

His brother Fransisco did etchings. The ducks, 1923.

But he was predominantly a sculptor and most of the works displayed were his studies and sketches for large sculptures. Study for the statue of Bishop de Lamego, 1950.

Study for the tomb figure, undated.

There were also photographs of his statues in place. The brothers lived and worked in Paris, Funchal and Lisbon in the early 20th Century.

Picado for lunch. I went back to the restaurant on the waterfront that I had eaten at before. It is cheap, has a friendly young waiter, seats in the sun, a clean bathroom and lots of people watching available. I had read that this is a Madeiran specialty and the beef was tender and the sauce delicious, though a bit too salty. The guide book says it is made with garlic and red peppers and the waiter said it included red wine but the rest was a secret. Unfortunately it was covered in french fries so I had to eat them, dipped in that sauce (or "sow us" as the waiter pronounced it) too.

After lunch I walked along the sea front, inquired about a boat trip and sketched  a mini food truck before grocery shopping and catching the bus home.