This painting, featuring the depiction of a Crown of the Holy Spirit, is both a testimony to a time when lessons in domestic crafts were part of female education and an example of a now-obsolete technique of reusing chocolate silver foil.
It was created by Rosa Maria Bettencourt, born on the island of São Jorge, who, at the age of eight, moved with her parents to Terceira Island, where she attended the fourth grade. From an early age, she helped her mother with weaving, and her manual skills and determination led her to attend lessons with D. Guilhermina Gaspar on Rua de Santo Espírito, where, in addition to sewing and embroidery, students also learned other “accomplishments” such as millinery and painting. It was in the context of these lessons that, at seventeen, at the beginning of her first romantic relationship, she invoked through this piece the protection of the Divine for the relationship she was embarking on.
Donated by her daughter Rosa Maria Bettencourt Costa in February 2021, this painted glass belongs to the Collection of Decorative and Ornamental Arts of the Museu de Angra do Heroísmo.
Text : Ana Lúcia Almeida
