Jaime Martins Barata

Jaime Martins Barata (7 March 1899 – 15 May 1970) was a Portuguese visual artist. His work includes illustration—especially historical illustration—easel painting, large-scale painting (murals and fresco), and the design of postage stamps and coins, among other works.

Early life Martins Barata was born at Herdade do Pereiro, in Santo António das Areias (Marvão). Soon after his birth, his family moved to Nossa Senhora da Graça de Póvoa e Meadas, in Castelo de Vide, a place he always considered his home and where he was baptised. His father, José Pedro Barata (from Nisa, Alpalhão), died in 1904. His mother, Antónia de Jesus Martins (from Mação, Cardigos), a primary-school teacher, moved the family to Lisbon in 1910 so he could continue his education.

Secondary-school teaching After completing secondary school, Martins Barata entered the Escola Normal Superior with the intention of becoming a mathematics teacher. He was also admitted to the Instituto Superior de Comércio (later ISCEF), with the idea of studying economics, but ultimately pursued a career as a high-school arts teacher (primarily drawing). and co-authored two textbooks: Elementos de História da Arte (with José Leitão de Barros) and Elementos de Desenho (with Luís Passos). In 1947, after being appointed Artistic Consultant to CTT, he left secondary-school teaching permanently.

His illustration work frequently evoked historical themes and the city of Lisbon. A notable example is the set of images prepared for Lisboa, Oito Séculos de História (1947), a work that also included graphic contributions by Almada Negreiros.

Large-scale works The 1940 Exposição do Mundo Português (Portuguese World Exhibition) marked a turning point in Martins Barata’s career, leading to major commissions in monumental painting.

In the following decades he executed numerous other large-format works, many of them government commissions for public buildings, including court buildings and ministries.

Naval archaeology Although not a professional historian, Martins Barata developed a long-standing interest in naval archaeology and the evolution of Portuguese ships during the transition from the late 14th to the 15th century. Over decades he gathered documentation and research on the subject but did not complete his planned book-length study.

He died in Campolide, Lisbon, on 15 May 1970, and was buried at the Prazeres Cemetery.

Selected bibliography Martins Barata, José Pedro (1988). Retrospectiva da Obra do Pintor Martins Barata. Lisbon: Museu da Cidade. Elias, Mário (1997). “Martins Barata, Pintor Alentejano”. In IBN MARUÁN – Revista Cultural do Concelho de Marvão, no. 7. Marvão: Câmara Municipal de Marvão / Edições Colibri, pp. 295–298. Cabral, Luís (2024). O Mestre e o Correio-Mor: Jaime Martins Barata, Luís Couto dos Santos e o Selo Português. Lisbon: CTT Correios de Portugal, S.A. ISBN 978-989-8988-31-7.