Entering the Tagus on the 7th March 1760, Thomas Pitt begins his journey around the Iberian Peninsula en route to Italy – an unusual start to any Grand Tour. He is accompanying the 9th Earl of Kinnoull, ambassador to the Portuguese court. Europe is at war. A skirmish between the English and French navies in neutral Portuguese waters has necessitated a renewal of diplomatic ties. But this is of little interest to the Young Pitt: he’s here to investigate the origins of the Gothic style. What can we make of his account today?
“The Sé de Lisboa: Drawing closer to Thomas Pitt” is a fifty-six page sketchbook retracing the footsteps of Thomas Pitt in his investigation of Lisbon’s great cathedral – the Sé de Lisboa – combining Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque elements. Travelling through Lisbon soon after the city’s near-complete destruction by earthquake, fire and tsunami, Pitt makes a detailed assessment of the cathedral, now in ruins. Through text and drawings, he paints a vivid picture of the building, speculating on its origins, development, and its possible rehabilitation. The sketch book draws on my own observations and interpretation of the Sé, weaved through with quotes from Pitt’s “Observations in a Tour to Portugal and Spain”. It reflects on his conclusions whilst capturing cathedral life as it is today – services, music, commotion. Mindful of the ever-present threat of another earthquake, I offer a speculative completion of the building, still partially ruined since 1760. A new chancel and tower are proposed. “The Sé de Lisboa: Drawing closer to Thomas Pitt” is the first in my Porta series.
