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Discover the objects on display in the National Palace of Sintra

Wardrobe

The fourth room in the palace of King João I and Queen Philippa of Lancaster was also called the Mermaids Room due to the decoration on the ceiling.

This is where the king and queen’s important belongings were kept: clothes, jewellery, silver and other ceremonial items.

These objects were normally stored in chests.

 

Discover the objects on display in this room.

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Chest

  • Portugal (?), 16th-17th century

  • Juniper and metal

  • Inv. No. PNS6027
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Cabinet

  • Spain, 16th-17th century
  • Walnut, velvet, ivory and iron
  • Inv. No.  PNS3092

This fall-front cabinet is common in design to furniture of this kind produced in Spain during the 17th century, above all in the Salamanca region. In this period, fall-front cabinets were among the most lavish pieces of furniture in a house. They were used to store jewellery, money and other valuable objects, but also documents attesting to an individual’s social status, such as deeds, rents or wills.

 

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Table

  • Portugal (or Italy?), 18th century
  • Wood (rosewood and ebony), marble, ivory and brass
  • Inv. No. PNS2960
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Chest

  • Portugal, 17th century
  • Wood (sucupira) and gilded metal
  • Inv. No. PNS3100
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Pot

  • China
  • Qing Dynasty - Kangxi reign (1662-1722)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS101
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Tureen

  • China
  • Qing Dynasty - Qianlong reign (1760-1770)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS59
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Tureen

  • China
  • Qing Dynasty - Qianlong reign (1760-1770)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS53
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Tureen

  • China
  • Qing Dynasty - Qianlong reign (1760-1770)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS63
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Dish

  • Manises (Valencia), Spain, c.1450-1470
  • Lustreware
  • Inv. No. PNS70
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Dish

  • Manises (Valencia), Spain, c.1470-1515
  • Lustreware
  • Inv. No. PNS71
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Tureen

  • China
  • Qing Dynasty - Qianlong reign (1736-1795)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS64
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Pot

  • China
  • Qing Dynasty - Qianlong reign (1736-1795)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS42
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Pot

  • China
  • Qing Dynasty - Qianlong reign (1736-1795)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS44
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Ewer

  • China, Qing Dynasty - Qianlong reign (1736-1795)
  • Porcelain
  • Inv. No. PNS95
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Dish

  • 18th century
  • Glass and metal
  • Inv. No. PNS5593
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Tiles

The relief tiles, with vine and tendril motifs, date from the 16th century. At the top of the tile composition on all the walls we can see green vases in cut tiles, probably installed in the 18th century.

Power

The layout of the rooms in the Palace of Sintra reflected a social hierarchy headed by the king and queen. This section corresponds to the royal palace built in the reign of King João I (1357–1433) and Queen Philippa of Lancaster (1360–1415).

It begins in the Great Hall, which everyone who entered the palace could access. Access to the following rooms became more selective the further one progressed, culminating in the King’s or Queen’s Chamber. These could only be entered by certain members of the high nobility, clergy or important ambassadors.

None of these rooms had a specific function. Their use was defined by the social position of those who were allowed to enter, thus revealing how power was wielded on a day-to-day basis. The layout of the furniture changed to suit the desired enactment of power or to match the social status of the people present.