Marciano Baptista
Joe Baptista
First published in UMA Bulletin Vol 29 No. 3 Jul-Sep 2006
My great-grandfather Marciano A. Baptista is considered Macao’s finest 19th Century painter, yet comparatively little is known about his life. He was born in Macau in 1826 and died in 1896 in Hongkong. In 1840s he began working for George Chinnery, the celebrated Irish painter in Macau who was then well advanced in years. He showed exceptional ability as a painter and Chinnery gave him lessons in water color painting.
The family recalls hearing that my great-grandfather’s association with Chinnery began when, as a small boy, he tagged along with Chinnery in Macau and did odd jobs for the Irish painter in order to learn the trade. He achieved a high standard of excellence as a painter in water colors, and was known for the fine detail and coloring of his paintings. His early paintings resembled Chinnery‘s style but as he matured he began to develop a definite style of his own. His sketches of the little girl with the full Madonna-like face and carefully tied kerchief on the girl’s head are as exact as Chinnery‘s – so is the girl’s familiar graceful pose. Late in 1840s he married Miss Maria Josefa do Rosario, daughter of Mr Joaquim do Rosario, a clerk in the employ of the Hong Kong Government as an English-Chinese Interpreter in the courts.
My great-grandfather, Marciano Sr loved to paint and tried his skills on “A-Ma Temple”, in Macao. He painted the temple from different angles; in fact, according to Martin Gregory, an art expert, his paintings of “A-Ma Temple” are most prized by collectors.
He made numerous sketches and paintings of the daily street scenes of Chinese engrossed in card games, relaxing on picnics and gathering of large groups, and many harbor views of Macau and Canton. There are two oil paintings of “Street Scenes” circa 1850, which he completed when he was 26 or 27 years old, and now on display at the Luis Camões Museum in Macau. My cousin Cecilia Alarcon has a lovely collection of sketches by our great-grandfather in her album.
The most active period of his career was between 1850 and 1870. Mr JP Braga, in his book The Portuguese in Hongkong and China, says “Marciano was a quiet and gentle in manner, … always ready to help in any good cause.” Mr. Baptista will best be remembered by old-timers of Hongkong for his splendid work in connection with theatrical shows produced by the Hongkong Amateur Dramatic Society, and in particular one of the Society’s most brilliant successes, the pantomime Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
My great-grandfather took on the responsibility for redecorating the dome of the Theatre Royal in Hongkong every year until his death. Mr JP Braga, estimates that Marciano Sr painted approximately 90 to 100 paintings, mostly water colors. He also painted the ceiling and altar of Sto Antonio and São Lourenço churches. Below are some of his paintings in water color of life in Coastal China in the 1800’s.
In 1895 he completed a large painting (10′ X 6′) in commemoration of the Royal Visit by the Duke of Edinburgh to Hongkong for Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee.
On 11 March 1896, about 3 weeks before his death, he completed an oil painting (24″ X 16″) of the “The Royal visit of HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, aboard HMS Gallatin”. Marciano Baptista Sr drew the scene from Bowen Road (mid-levels), Hongkong. This painting is now in the Board Room of Jardine Matheson & Company in Bermuda.
One painting in particular was very dear to Marciano’ s heart, “A Scene of Canton”, which was reclaimed by Marciano Sr after Chinnery‘s death.
The first Hong Kong reference to my great-grandfather appeared in the Letters to the Editor column of a Hongkong newspaper in early 1850’s. The correspondent urged local people to patronize Baptista, a student of Chinnery, instead of the Chinese painters of the time who were doing similar harbor and street scenes.
In the mid-19th century there was a group of Chinese painters on Wellington Street, painting views of Hongkong to satisfy sea captains and other visitors with mementos of the Island. Some sources suggest that Marciano joined with these Chinese painters and credit him with being a sort of cultural ambassador, linking the Chinese artist with the European clientele.
One stumbling block in compiling his works is his tendency not to sign his works. Perhaps modesty accounts for this practice but in a few cases it is possible to detect his initials. In the Hongkong City Hall’s supply of his watercolors, only one has a signature -– here an untypical “M Baptista” has been scratched, perhaps with a pin, into the color.
Photography first trickled into the British Colony in 1860’s and abruptly created competition for the scores of landscape painters earning a living on Wellington Street. Scores of photographic studios welcomed tourists who now could order their preferred harbor views by the number. Complete albums even were prepared so the tourist could take home remembrances of many Hongkong scenes, all ready mounted and captioned. After witnessing a French photographer take a picture of the fleet assembled in Hong Kong harbor, Marciano soon realized the potential of photography so he ordered photographic equipment from Europe and began to take pictures of Hong Kong everyday scenes. Many of these photographs may be seen in the pictorial section of the National Library of Australia in Canberra. After moving to Hong Kong and having a large family to provide for, my great-grandfather became an art teacher at a number of schools, including St. Joseph’s (then known as St. Xavier’s) to augment his income. He occasionally provided designs to be used as the basis for scenery for a London theatre show with a Hong Kong background.
A lawyer in Macau, Dr Silva Mendes, scrupulously collected his works and unearthed new material about Marciano Sr, which he published in several articles. He claims that Marciano’s development was encouraged by Chinnery and even shared some of his secrets with the young artist.
Mr Henrique Nolasco da Silva paid HK$500 for 8 etchings from Marciano Sr (4 of Macau and 4 of Canton), but these etchings disappeared after World War II.
The first recorded appearance in an exhibition was in Macau in 1920 and subsequently occasional paintings of his have cropped up in exhibitions of “China Trade” paintings, illustrating life in the ports of southern China used by Westerners. Mr. Martyn Gregory a London Art dealer has a small album containing more then 30 sketches signed with Baptista’ s name which appear to be genuine.
Macau’s Camões Museum collection has 10 of his paintings, and this has formed a good foundation for his works. The Hongkong Museum of Art also has a small number of his paintings. Other Hong Kong collectors, including Mr. Peter J. Thompson also have about 20 of his paintings.
Below are some postcards created by Marciano Baptista Sr:
His son Marciano Baptista Jr, my grandfather, opted for a more secure career as a clerk of Johnson, Stokes and Masters, however he also continued the Baptista artistic traditions and painted the portrait of his father Marciano Sr, which is now on display in the Luis Camões Museum in Macau.
Marciano Baptista Jr‘s son, also called Marciano III (Nanali), my uncle, was also an accomplished artist and became proficient in “Illuminating Manuscripts”. He was commissioned to prepare an ornate scroll marking the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937. As a POW in the Sham Shui Po Camp, he designed all the scenes for the plays at camp. One ingenious scene featured a false radio. When the music blared forth, the Japanese guard looking on lurched forward, fearful that the men had built a real radio. He did not notice the small band behind the curtain and the female impersonator whose “make up” was artfully applied by Nanali. It sounded like a Bob Hope show. After the war, he was much sought out for his flair for designing “illuminated address and farewell presentation gifts”, to retiring officials or other important persons requiring special artistic treatment. He was awarded an MBE for his military service.
Marciano Baptista
Joe Baptista
Publicado originalmente no UMA Bulletin, Vol. 29, n.º 3 (jul–set 2006)
O meu bisavô, Marciano A. Baptista, é considerado o melhor pintor macaense do século XIX, embora relativamente pouco se saiba da sua vida. Nasceu em Macau em 1826 e faleceu em 1896, em Hong Kong. Na década de 1840 começou a trabalhar para George Chinnery, o celebrado pintor irlandês em Macau, então já de idade avançada. Revelou talento excecional e Chinnery deu‑lhe lições de pintura a aguarela.
A família conta que a ligação do meu bisavô a Chinnery começou quando, ainda rapaz, o acompanhava em Macau e fazia pequenos recados para aprender o ofício. Atingiu um alto nível de excelência na pintura a aguarela, conhecido pelo fino detalhe e pela cor. As primeiras obras lembram o estilo de Chinnery, mas, com a maturidade, desenvolveu um estilo próprio. Os seus esboços da menina de rosto cheio, quase madonesco, e lenço bem atado na cabeça, são tão precisos quanto os de Chinnery — e a pose graciosa é a mesma. No fim da década de 1840, casou com a Sr.ª Maria Josefa do Rosário, filha do Sr. Joaquim do Rosário, escriturário e intérprete inglês‑chinês ao serviço dos tribunais do Governo de Hong Kong.
O meu bisavô, Marciano Sr., gostava de pintar e pôs à prova o seu talento no “Templo de A‑Má”, em Macau. Pintou o templo a partir de diferentes ângulos; na verdade, segundo o perito de arte Martin Gregory, as suas pinturas do “Templo de A‑Má” são das mais apreciadas pelos colecionadores.
Fez numerosos esboços e pinturas das cenas de rua do quotidiano chinês — jogos de cartas, piqueniques, grandes ajuntamentos — e muitas vistas do porto de Macau e Cantão. Existem duas pinturas a óleo de “Cenas de Rua”, cerca de 1850, concluídas quando tinha 26 ou 27 anos, hoje expostas no Museu Luís de Camões, em Macau. A minha prima Cecilia Alarcon guarda um belo conjunto de esboços do nosso bisavô no seu álbum.
O período mais ativo da sua carreira foi entre 1850 e 1870. JP Braga, no livro Portuguese in Hongkong and China, afirma: “Marciano era de maneiras calmas e gentis… sempre pronto a ajudar em qualquer boa causa.” Os antigos de Hong Kong recordam‑no pelo esplêndido trabalho ligado aos espetáculos produzidos pela Hongkong Amateur Dramatic Society, em particular uma das maiores vitórias, a pantomima Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
O meu bisavô assumiu a responsabilidade de redecorar a cúpula do Theatre Royal, em Hong Kong, todos os anos até à sua morte. JP Braga estima que Marciano Sr. tenha pintado aproximadamente 90 a 100 quadros, maioritariamente aguarelas. Pintou ainda o teto e o altar das igrejas de Sto António e de São Lourenço. Abaixo apresentam‑se algumas aguarelas da vida na China costeira, nos anos 1800.
Em 1895 completou uma grande pintura (10′ × 6′) para assinalar a visita real do Duque de Edimburgo a Hong Kong, no jubileu de diamante da Rainha Vitória.
Em 11 de março de 1896, cerca de três semanas antes de falecer, concluiu uma pintura a óleo (24″ × 16″) da “Visita Real de SAR o Príncipe Alfredo, Duque de Edimburgo, a bordo do HMS Gallatin”. Marciano Baptista Sr. desenhou a cena a partir da Bowen Road (Mid‑Levels), Hong Kong. Esta pintura está atualmente na sala do conselho da Jardine Matheson & Company, nas Bermudas.
Uma pintura em particular era‑lhe muito querida: “Uma cena de Cantão”, recuperada por Marciano Sr. após a morte de Chinnery.
A primeira referência em Hong Kong ao meu bisavô surgiu na secção de Cartas ao Editor de um jornal de Hong Kong, no início da década de 1850. O correspondente instava o público a apoiar Baptista, aluno de Chinnery, em vez dos pintores chineses da época que produziam cenas semelhantes de portos e ruas.
Em meados do século XIX havia um grupo de pintores chineses na Wellington Street que vendia vistas de Hong Kong para satisfazer capitães de navio e visitantes. Algumas fontes sugerem que Marciano trabalhou com esses pintores e lhe atribuem o papel de embaixador cultural, ligando o artista chinês à clientela europeia.
Um obstáculo à compilação da sua obra é a tendência para não assinar. Talvez por modéstia; nalguns casos é possível detetar as iniciais. Na coleção de aguarelas do City Hall de Hong Kong, apenas uma tem assinatura — um invulgar “M Baptista” riscado, talvez com um alfinete, sobre a cor.
A fotografia chegou lentamente à colónia britânica na década de 1860 e depressa criou concorrência para os muitos pintores de paisagem que trabalhavam na Wellington Street. Multiplicaram‑se os estúdios fotográficos, e os turistas passaram a encomendar as vistas do porto pelo número; chegaram a ser preparados álbuns completos para levar para casa, já montados e legendados. Depois de ver um fotógrafo francês captar a frota reunida no porto de Hong Kong, Marciano percebeu o potencial da fotografia: encomendou equipamento à Europa e começou a registar cenas do quotidiano. Muitas dessas fotografias podem ser vistas na secção iconográfica da National Library of Australia, em Canberra. Depois de se mudar para Hong Kong, com uma família numerosa para sustentar, tornou‑se professor de arte em várias escolas, incluindo St. Joseph’s (então St. Xavier’s), para complementar o rendimento. Pontualmente fornecia esboços para cenários de peças londrinas com ambiente de Hong Kong.
Um advogado em Macau, Dr. Silva Mendes, colecionou meticulosamente a sua obra e publicou novos dados sobre Marciano Sr.; defende que o desenvolvimento de Marciano foi encorajado por Chinnery, que terá partilhado segredos com o jovem artista.
Henrique Nolasco da Silva pagou 500 HK$ por oito gravuras (quatro de Macau e quatro de Cantão), mas estas desapareceram após a Segunda Guerra Mundial.
A primeira presença registada numa exposição foi em Macau, em 1920; desde então, obras suas surgem ocasionalmente em mostras de “China Trade”, ilustrando a vida nos portos do sul da China. O negociante de arte londrino Martyn Gregory possui um pequeno álbum com mais de 30 esboços assinados “Baptista”, aparentemente genuínos.
O Museu Luís de Camões, em Macau, possui 10 pinturas suas, base importante para o estudo da sua obra. O Hong Kong Museum of Art também tem algumas pinturas. Outros colecionadores, incluindo o Sr. Peter J. Thompson, detêm cerca de 20 obras.
Segue‑se uma seleção de postais criados por Marciano Baptista Sr.:
O seu filho, Marciano Baptista Jr, meu avô, escolheu uma carreira mais segura como escriturário da Johnson, Stokes and Masters, mas continuou a tradição artística e pintou o retrato do pai, hoje exposto no Museu Luís de Camões, em Macau.
O filho de Marciano Jr., também chamado Marciano III (Nanali), meu tio, era igualmente um artista talentoso e tornou‑se perito em “iluminuras”. Foi encarregado de preparar um pergaminho ornamentado para assinalar a coroação do Rei Jorge VI e da Rainha Isabel, em 1937. Como prisioneiro de guerra no campo de Sham Shui Po, desenhou cenários para as peças do campo; um cenário engenhoso apresentava um rádio falso que iludiu um guarda japonês. No pós‑guerra, ficou conhecido por criar “endereços iluminados” e presentes de despedida para figuras públicas. Foi condecorado com a MBE pelo serviço militar.