Eduardo Pereira
(1871-1941)
Born March 28th, 1871, in the Farrobo de Cima area, in the São Gonçalo parish, son of José Pereira and Maria Fernandes.
He got married for the first time, to Maria Rodrigues, on November 19th, 1892, in the parish of Santa Maria Maior. From the marriage, two boys and three girls were born:
Maria Clotilde Pereira (1895-1979), José Pereira (1897-?), Carolina Pereira (1899-?), João Pereira (1902-?), and Maria (1904-1904).
He gets married for the second time with Maria Edviges dos Santos Mendes, on July 28th, 1906, in the parish of São Pedro. From this marriage, three sons and one daughter were born:
Eduardo Daniel dos Santos Pereira (1908-?), Edmundo Hermógenes Pereira (1914- 1969), Óscar Saturnino Pereira (1917-1991) and Maria Gilda Olegária Pereira (1924-1927).
He was the only carpenter and inlay master born in the 19th century, who has done three drawing courses of Escola Industrial António Augusto Aguiar, finishing them on the following dates: 1896, 3rd year of Elementary General Drawing; 1901, 3rd year of Ornamental Drawing; 1912, 3rd year of Architectural Drawing.
He is considered the most talented carpenter and inlay master of Madeira.
Among his works, the following stand out:
A Jardineira* and writing table with tripod scrolling feet, inlaid with royal symbols and gifted to the queen during the royal visit to Madeira from June 22nd to June 25th, 1901;
An inlaid wooden tray, resembling a perfect charão (type of ship), and a writing table with a top depicting ‘a landing in our port’ for the National Exhibition Commemorating the 1st Centenary of the Opening of the Ports of Brazil, held in the city of Rio de Janeiro in 1908.
A round table, at the centre of which stands the bust of the French general Ferdinand Jean Marie Foch (1851-1929), surrounded by the shields of the allied nations. Acquired for a museum in the capital of France; A box made of Madeira laurel (til), featuring the coat arms of Funchal and Belgium inlaid in the lid, and some inscriptions alluding to the Antwerp Exhibition, commissioned by the Commercial Association of Funchal. Designed to hold 12 bottles of Madeira wine from 1830, the year of independence of that country, offered to the Belgium king.
*according to Danilo Fernandes, it is the name given to Madeiran tea tables
An inlaid, wooden table, with the coats of arms of the eleven municipalities of the district of Funchal and in the centre, a figure of João Gonçalves Zarco. It was executed for the Great Portuguese Industrial Exhibition of 1932. This work received the Grand Prize of Honor.
A table featuring the figure of D. Afonso Henriques in the centre, enclosed in a circle, with a plaque encircled with the following inscription: ‘Founder of the Portuguese Nation, who bestowed more glories and nations upon the world’; and, flanking the dates ‘1139-1939’.
In another wider and concentric circle, 16 figures of individuals who distinguished themselves in sciences, arts, or literature are represented. Each character holds a torch alluding to their domain of knowledge. Around the figures, and above, their coats of arms are embroidered surrounded by oak and olive branches. The circles are topped with a marquetry list of colours, giving greater prominence. The table’s base is divided into three legs ending in claws, with inlays, fillets, and fleurons. The box supporting the table top is a writing table, with compartments and lockers. With this work, he participated in the Exhibition of the Portuguese World, held in Lisbon from June 23rd to December 2nd, 1940. The project’s author was Fernando Augusto da Câmara (1880-1949), his former colleague at Escola Industrial António Augusto de Aguiar.
He died at the age of 70, at his residence, on October 3rd, 1941.
In the words of Father Eduardo C.N. Pereira, the death of Eduardo Pereira, closed the last open public workshop in Funchal.
