Fundação Gaudium Magnum - Maria and João Cortez de Lobão

THE FOUNDATION

Fundação Gaudium Magnum is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal. Founded by Maria and João Cortez de Lobão in 2018, FGM focuses on supporting culture, education and research while also playing an active role in numerous charitable endeavours.

FGM believes in the importance of promoting cross-cultural exchanges as a means of building bridges, stimulating dialogue and fostering social justice and is committed to embracing Portugal’s longstanding tradition of cultural internationalism.

The foundation acts as an ambassador for Portugal’s historical and cultural heritage, promoting dialogue between local and foreign institutions, and supporting projects exploring the country’s role on the global chessboard. Particular attention is devoted to projects revolving around the formation of Portugal’s cultural identity between the 15th and 18th centuries, in relation to its diplomatic ties, its trading empire and the circulation of models, ideas and people.

Fundação Gaudium Magnum encourages inter-institutional partnerships and is proud to cooperate with museums, libraries and research centres both in Portugal and abroad.

These institutions include the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (Lisbon, Portugal), the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Rome, Italy), the Hispanic Society Museum & Library (New York, USA) and the Instituto Camões (Lusitania).

THE COLLECTION

The Collection, put together by Maria and João Cortez de Lobão over the past two decades, currently comprises over a 100 works of art by many of the finest European artists from the 15th to the 18th centuries.

The Cortez de Lobão believe in the fundamental relevance of these works, both as a vehicle for study and as a source of inspiration, and are committed to making them available to the public. Their immense effort in continuing to expand the collection, to encourage research into it and to share it bears witness to that belief.

An open, cross-disciplinary and constantly updated Online Collaborative Catalogue will soon be available – a resource for students and scholars specialising in the study of European painting and an opportunity for enthusiasts to benefit from interactive exploration.

In addition to the Catalogue, the Collection will also serve as a Lending Library, loaning its works of art to an international roster of museums, either for special, focused exhibitions or for supplementing permanent collections on a longer-term basis.