Peculiarities of the creative method of the Portuguese ceramic artist Jorge Colaço in the Decoration of São Bento Train Station (1905-1916)

The aim of this research is to identify the uniqueness of the creative method of the Portuguese ceramic artist Jorge Colaço and his influence on the renovation of architectural decoration with figurative tile panels (azulejos) at the beginning of the 20th century. The article examines the artist's creative biography and the historical-cultural context of the early 20th century, which conditioned the demand for the decoration of public spaces with architectural ceramics. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the analysis of Colaço's role in renewing the artistic language of azulejos, as well as the peculiarities of his creative style and technique. The research established that the master's free access to the inventory of the Sacavém ceramics factory in Lisbon, his artistic education, and the administrative request to express Portugal's national identity in narrative azulejo compositions collectively led to a new direction in 20th-century architectural ceramic decoration: neo-romantic figurative azulejo compositions in a painterly style. Jorge Colaço's innovation defined a new vector for the development of Portuguese artistic azulejo tiles.