José Tomáz de Aquino (1804-1852) by Armando “Pinky

Vol. 30. No. 3
A Publication of UMA, Inc
Editor: Daniel Gomes, 4394 N. Sweetbriar Ct, Concord, Ca 94521
July - Sept 2007
E-Mail: gomesmd@astound.net
Nossa Senhora de Penha
Sé Cathedral
Palacio de Santa Sancha
José Tomáz de Aquino (1804-1852)
by Armando “Pinky” da Silva
Palacio de Governo
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CONTA ‘STORIA DI JOSÉ TOMÁZ DE AQUINO (1804- 1852)
José Tomáz de Aquino sung a maior arquiteto di Macau duranti premero metade do seculo mil
novento cento. Ele ja bota ele-sa marca na tanto-tanto edificios principalmenti no Palacio do Governo
e no Palacio de Santa Sancha. Ele tamen chapa ele-sa palma na paredi di Catedral de Sé e da Igreja
de Sao Lourenco. Ele sung deveras unga homen forte valente di ele-sa tempo. (José Tomáz de Aquino
was the most significant architect in Macau during the latter half of the 19th century. He has left his
mark on many buildings especially the Palacio do Governo and the Palacio de Santa Sancha.as well as
leaving his palm-print on the walls of Sé Cathedral and St.Lawrence Church. He was indeed a
formidable man of this time).
To understand José Tomáz de Aquino one must understand the cultural-historical world he lived
in. After the ending of the Japan Trade in the 1630s Macau went into a state of slow decline. Sailing
ships still ventured out from Macau to trade with ports in Southeast Asia and India but in a limited
way. But Macau came back.
The Emperor of China in 1760 issued an edict which opened Canton (Guangchou) to foreign
trade. Canton, 90 miles upstream from Macau and a day’s sail away attracted trading ships flying the
flags of England, Denmark, Sweden, Prussia, and after the American Revolution, the United States of
America. Large buildings and warehouses called “Factories” from the Portuguese Feitorias (the
Chinese called them “Hong”) lined the banks of the Whampoa River. The era of the China Coast
Trade would accrue to the benefit of Macau. Many Macau residents were seafarers and familiar with
the ways of delivering seafaring supplies and services. Macau rose to the occasion.
João Tomáz Rodrigues was a man of the sea. He knew about sailing and shipping. He was born
sometime in the late 1770s or early 1780s in Cambodia to a Sebastiao Rodrigues and Inacia da Silva.
He and one other brother were orphaned and came under the care of a Catholic priest. He took them
to Macau to be educated. Not more is heard about the early years of João Tomáz Rodrigues. João
Tomáz changed his surname Rodrigues to de Aquino. He married Clara Ana Pereira (father’s surname
Pereira, mother’s surname Baptista) at Igreja de Sao Lourenco. They had four children of which José
Tomáz was the eldest. He was born in 1804.
José Tomáz de Aquino lived in momentous times, first during Europe’s Peninsula Wars and later
during China’s First Opium War. In his day the China Coast Trade was in full swing. Merchant
sailing ships flying the flags of Britain, Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Prussia and the United States
of America, but not France, loaded and discharged their cargoes at the “Foreign Factories Quarter”
along the Whampoa River. Macau was often the first port of call for sailing ships arriving from a long
ocean voyage. But the winds of war in Europe had affected Macau. The defeat by the Royal Navy of
the combined Franco-Spanish fleet at Trafalgar in 1805 allowed some of its finest fighting ships-ofline to proceed to South China Sea to impose what would be called “Gunboat Diplomacy”.
The East India Company based in Calcutta, India had the monopoly for the tea trade with China.
To pay for Chinese tea, silk, and porcelain, East Indiamen, as the company’s sailing ships were called,
increasingly proceeded to carry opium to Canton. Macau was drawn into the Opium Trade both by
design and by default.
João Tomáz de Aquino often captained brigantines (two-mast full squared rigged sailing ships) to
and from Macau and Calcutta. He became wealthy from this trading and could afford the best
education for his son José Tomáz. He received his early education as most rich boys could at Colegio
de Sao Jose. It was then no longer a Jesuit institution but a Lazarist one.
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José Tomáz de Aquino
After the Napoleonic Wars were over, his father sent him in 1819, age 15, to attend the prestigious
Colego Luso-Britanico in Lisbon. José Tomáz proved to be a gifted person. He mastered
mathematics, geography, and became well-versed in English, French, and Latin. While in Lisbon he
was inducted to be a member of the Ateneu das Belas Artes, a school dedicated to the study of
architecture. He spent six years in Lisbon, and at the age of 21 returned to Macau in 1825 to the proud
embrace of his father. A year back from return, João Tomáz would allow José Tomáz to sail with him
as an “Assistant of Cargoes” on board his brigantine, “Desempenho” (‘Fulfillment’) to Calcutta and
back.. He was tutoring his son on the ways of navigation, seamanship, and trading.
Father and son moved among the social elites of the city, with local Fildalgos and foreign Taipans.
Let us now look into the social neighborhoods of Macau at this time. Macau was set up from its
beginnings as a Moorish-influenced southern Portuguese town. Most building were made of brick,
mortar, and then coated with mud-plastered exteriors painted in pastel colors. Many had red tiled
roofs. Many were also villas with open interiors, called quintal each with a well, pozo, at the center.
The city was full of tropical shade and fruit trees. Macau had a salubrious climate in summer. Gentle
breezes cooled the city. These benign features attracted foreign merchants at Canton to live in Macau
with their wives and children in summer. Many of these houses were located near the Cathedral along
Rua de Formosa on a low ridge which afforded its residents a commanding view of Praia Grande and
the sea beyond. Others would reside at an area between St.Lawrence Church and Lilau Square.
Lilau Square was the focal center of Macanese high society. The rich, the powerful, and the
famous lived in this bairro. Among them were merchant traders, ship owners, ship chandlers, and
old-line moneyed families. The Fonte (Fountain) of Lilau was a natural artesian well supplied by substratum water from Penha hill. A saying goes that “Whosoever drinks of the waters of Lilau would
return again to Lilau. Potable water of Lilau often filled the water barrels of the Lorchas of Macau.
José Tomáz resided at Lilau.
Lilau sits on a bluff overlooking Praia do Manduco (Bay of the Frog). The beach front of this bay
served as the focus of Macau’s ship building. The bay was the principal anchorage for Macau’s
famous lorchas. A very steep street called Rua de Quebra Costa (Street of Broken Back) led from
Lilau bluff to Praia do Manduco.
A similar shipping related neighborhood was sited northward at Patane. In this bairro resided the
deck hands for the lorchas, brigantines, barques of Macau. Collectively they were placed at a lower
social standing. The term “Mamang di San Antonio (Irmaos de Sao Antonio) translates into the
Brotherhood of San Anthony Church. This appellation was applied to them. In the Macau of old, ship
captains and ship chandlers resided at Lilau, deck hands at Patane.
During the Peninsular Wars in Iberia the Portuguese Monarchy in 1806 fled to Brazil for
sanctuary. As the Monarchy steadily devolved there, Royal authority fell short in Macau. Members of
the Conselho de Leal Senado, local Macanese leaders, took charge of administrating the day to day
activities and made important decisions on their own regarding Macau affairs. They were
entrepreneurs first before being bureaucrats.
Administratively Macau was akin to a three-legged stool, one leg being the Head of the Leal
Senado, the other the Governor, and the third the Bishop. The Head of the Leal Senado exerted the
most power of the three, following upon the Golden Rule, “Whosoever has the gold, makes the rules”.
José Tomáz at one time headed the Leal Senado.
Let us now turn to José Tomáz de Aquino and his achievements.. He was about and around when
the whole Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Madre de Deus was still standing. With an architect’s fine
observation he would notice details of the interior of this famous church. Later, he would be called
upon to renovate the inside of Macau’s cathedral.
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José Tomáz de Aquino
His first commission at age 25 was to rehabilitate the house of a “Mr. Watson,” a Hong merchant.
Three years later in 1832 he was called to do renovations for the Ermida (Hermitage) de Nossa
Senhora de Penha. It would have been of special meaning to him as the Hemitage was erected in mid17th century and paid for by the generous proceeds of seafarers. Devout ones would meditate and pray
in quietude for “protection from the perils of the sea”. (Note: In a most unwise move the Diocese of
Macau in the mid-1930s elected to demolish the old hermitage and replace it with a modern church
with an adjoining residential building for the Bishop of Macau). Two years later, in 1834, he
designed his first house for Joseph Jardine (probably related to the most important Taipan of all,
William Jardine, co-founder of Jardine Matheson and Company.).
For the next five years José Tomáz decided to take a respite from designing houses to attend to
commercial interests. He became sole agent and principal supplier for a number of sailing ships
(including his father’s) which used Macau harbor as a stopping place for victuals, supplies, and
potable water. In 1836 at age 32 he managed to own a three-mast square rigged sailing barque named
“Margarida” which he captained in a voyage from Macau to Calcutta and back.
Then, perhaps already wealthy and bored by shipboard life and the shipping business, he decided
in 1839 at age 35, to stay his life. At the behest of the Leal Senado he drew plans for the “Teatro
Luso-Britanico”. He consulted with a Leo de Almada e Castro and a Pedro Marques over the plans.
He went on to become a patron of the arts and joined Clube Filhamonica de Macau.
His reputation as a premier architect was established. In 1843 and 1844 he designed two villas, one
for his Leal Senado colleague, Jose Vicente Jorge, the other for his father-in-law, Vicente Caetano da
Rocha.
His most productive and unremitting years working as architect were yet to come. They started in
1846 when he was 40 years old. That year he designed a house at Rua de Seminario adjacent to his
old school. He followed up by designing many houses for many upper crust Macanese families
owning properties along a pathway encircling Penha hill called Rua de Tanque de Manaitos
(Roadway of the Pool of Launderers). Old timers will recognize this road as Rua de Boa Vista, now
renamed Rua Comendador Kou Ho Neng which fronts the former Hotel Bela Vista that now houses
the Consul-general of Portugal.
In 1847 when he was 41 years old the then Bishop of Macau
commissioned him to redesign the interior of the Catedral de Sé, A
Ingreja de Nossa Senhora de Conceicao Imaculada, (Church of our
Lady of the Immaculate Conception.). Remember now that José
Tomáz as an architect was familiar with the interior of the great
Church of Our Lady the Mother of God before it was burned down in
1835. One can expect features of that church to be carried in the
designs of José Tomáz. The work was finally completed in 1850. The
original cornerstone dedicated to José Tomáz de Aquino can be seen
at the southwest corner of theCathedral.. (Note: In mid-1930s the
Diocese of Macau decided to resurface the building thus effacing
again a historical edifice. The Church of Saint Anthony also faced a
similar fate.. Deveras saiang. Really sad.
The same year in 1847 the then Bishop of Macau commissioned
him to rehab the interior of the Igreja de Sao Lourenco as well as a
building across the street from the church known as Edificio de 16
columnas em Sao Lourenco. This building no longer exists. The
Interior of Sé Cathedral
Salesian building stands in its stead today.
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José Tomáz de Aquino
In 1848 he took upon himself to do public works for Macau. With the first he modified the interior
of the barrack (“quartel”) of Sao Agostinho to serve as a military hospital for Macau’s soldiers. He
would know later the next year of the exploits of fellow Macanese, Tenente (Lieutenant) Nicolau
Vicente de Mesquita, the hero of the Battle of Passeleao (Pak Shan Long, “White Mountain Dragon)
in 1849. (As an aside, Nicolau Mesquita would commit suicide some years later by drowning himself
at the Fonte de Lilau).
The other prominent Macanese architect and contemporary of José Tomáz, Antonio Alexandrino
de Melo, the Barao de Cercal would design and build the Hospital de Conde de Sao Januario in 1874
over the same site. Meanwhile José Tomáz re-structured the public jailhouse (Cadeia Publica) behind
the Leal Senada at Rua Tronco Velho ( Old stockade street).
His most lasting achievements were at the behest of his school friend at Colegio de Sao Jose. The
Visconde (Viscount) of Cercal, Alexandrino Antonio de Melo (1809-1877) employed him to design
and build two villas for his son, Antonio Alexandrino de Melo, (1837-1885) He later acquired the title
of Barao de Cercal. José Tomáz, was a dedicated Anglophile. He had earlier drawn up plans for the
“Teatro Luso-Britanico” where many Britishers gathered for plays and concerts. In 1849 and 1850 he
started planning two villas after the manner of English Countryside Mansions for his fellow architect,
Antonio Alexandrino de Melo. Professional reputations were on the line as his client Antonio
Alexandrino studied architecture, as well, in England and was also a noted architect in his own right.
José Tomáz took the two challenges in stride. He designed and supervised the construction of the
imposing Palacio de Barao de Cercal at Praia Grande, followed by the Palacio de Barao de Cercal at
Santa Sancha. It was a measure of José Tomáz’s skill as architect and structural engineer that the
mansion at Praia Grande survived storm surges from a typhoon which hit Macau directly. Strong
waves and wind destroyed the protective seawall and sea water crashed against the building. Other
adjacent buildings were completely destroyed but the Palacio stood. Later, the Palacio at Praia Grande
and the Palacio at Santa Sancha would be purchased by the Government of Macau to be renamed
Palacio do Governo and the Palacio de Santa Sancha to be used for the benefit of the governors of
Macau. Today, Macau’s Chief Executive Edmundo Ho Hau-wah resides in both these two official
government buildings, one as his office, the other as his residence. José Tomáz’s last achievement
came with the construction of the Palacete de Flora a white wood and glass conservatory to house
tropical plants. It was erected in 1850 by the foot of Guia hill but was destroyed by fire in the 1890s.
Photographs exist to show its impressive domed form. .
Sometime in the late 1840s he rented a studio by a side street near St.Lawrence Church to noted
painter George Chinnery. José Tomáz sat for an oil portrait by Chinnery. (Note: See accompanying
feature)..
José Tomáz de Aquino, architect, sea captain,
community leader, entrepreneur, all-round talented
fellow died in June 1852, age 48, one month after his
friend George Chinnery (1774-1852) passed away age
78. Chinnery is buried in the Old Protestant Cemetary
in Macau, José Tomáz in the “old” “Cemetario de Sao
Miguel, Arcanjo” (Cemetary of Saint Michael, the
Archangel) in Macau.
Descendents of José Tomáz de Aquino
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Portrait of José Tomáz de Aquino (1804-1852) By George Chinnery (1774-1852)
José Tomáz de Aquino is depicted in full face pose attired in a high collar maroon velvet frock and matching
buttons with the left inner white silk lining exposed to view. He is wearing a white vest over a broad striped red,
white, and blue v-shaped high collar apparel from which is appended a clasp holding a large medallion adorned with
a cross, a royal crown, and a large insignia. Two other insignias adorn the left side of his frock, with the top one
displaying a crystal-studded oval with a gold cross in the center. A high neck white cravat completes his attire.
The portrait shows a distinguished figure with ruddy features, focused eyes, and premature silvery hair with
sideburns. To the best of this writer’s knowledge this visage of José Tomáz de Aquino has never been shown in
public other than for selected members of the larger de Aquino family. the original portrait is in the keeping of a
family member, and, following upon the protocol of the art world relating to exceptional paintings, this person
should remain anonymous.
About the portraitist. George Chinnery was born in London, England in 1774. In his teens he attended the Royal
Academy of Arts also in London. He married, had a child, but left his family to go to Calcutta, India in 1805. There
he prospered and became well known as a portraitist and landscape painter. But high living and mounting debts
forced him to leave Calcutta for Macau in 1825. As in Calcutta he established himself as a premier painter. He died
in 1852 and is buried in the Old Protestant Cemetery in Macau.
His sketches and paintings have long been prized by art collectors leaning towards what is known as “Old China
Coast Trade paintings”. Many of his works currently reside with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation
in Hong Kong, the Royal Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Peabody Museum in Salem, Massachusetts.
The National Museum of Australia in Canberra houses two Chinnerys donated by the noted Macau historian, the late
Jack M. Braga. Chinnery mentored Macanese Marciano Antonio Baptista (1826-1896) in his beginning years as
artist. However, it is believed that Baptista helped touch up some of Chinnerys’ scenes of early Hong Kong as
Chinnery ailed, affirming the observation that “the pupil has become the master”. Kudos to both.
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