What if we told you that olive harvesting is as beautiful as it is complex, and has been documented by an amateur photographer born in 1881?
António Cezar d’Abrunhoza documented the process from the olive grove to the mill in detail in his book “Olivais e Lagares” (Olive Groves and Olive Oil Mills). It was a process that involved both hard work and fun, because after the work came the party.
The work of this illustrious amateur photographer was honored in a film and won an award at the 18th edition of ART&TUR – International Tourism Film Festival, held in Fundão.
Award for “Best Ethnography” at the 18th ART&TUR, International Tourism Film Festival, in Fundão
Fotography by ART&TUR
The Évora Olive Hotel received the “Best Ethnography” award for the film “Olive Groves and Olive Oil Mills of Antonio Cezar d’Abrunhoza (1881-1941)” at the 18th edition of ART&TUR – International Tourism Film Festival, held in Fundão.
This project is a tribute to the photographic work of António Cezar d’Abrunhoza, created by Maria Inês Mansinho in memory of her grandfather.
It was through Professor José Gouveia that the Évora Olive Hotel came into contact with Maria Inês Mansinho. She gave an interview during the “Conferência Olivoturismo: o regresso às origens” (Conference Olive Tourism: a return to our roots), organized by the hotel in October 2024.
Who was António Cezar d’Abrunhoza?
Born in 1881, António Cezar d’Abrunhoza — farmer and landowner with an attentive and curious gaze, shaped by a condition that distanced him from the sounds of the world. Deaf and mute, and without access to formal education, he found in photography his own language, silent but eloquent, to say what he could not with words.
Through his lens, he captured the gestures, faces, and times of the land. From olive trees to wine presses, this amateur photographer built visual albums that are now precious testimonies to Portuguese rural culture.
Maria Inês Mansinho discovered this legacy through her mother, who was once her grandfather’s assistant and confidante. She transformed these images into a living tribute. The award-winning film is the culmination of this gesture of memory and gratitude.
Photographs from the book “Olivais e Lagares” (Olive Groves and Olive Oil Mills) on display at the Évora Olive Hotel
At the entrance to the Évora Olive Hotel, some of his photographs are on display, in which it is possible to follow the journey of olive oil: from the olive harvest to the work in the mill, from the faces straining with effort to the hands sharing the task. These are images that speak of a time when everything was manual and cyclical, when António Cezar d’Abrunhoza’s gaze found beauty in the simplest of movements. He saw details that few others noticed.
Today, thanks to the tireless work of his granddaughter, that vision lives on. In 2003, Maria Inês Mansinho published the book “Olivais e Lagares” (Olive Groves and Olive Oil Mills): a limited edition featuring her grandfather’s black-and-white photographs detailing the olive oil production process. She has also published two other books, one on the bread cycle and the other on vineyards.
In a time of constant noise, António Cezar d’Abrunhoza’s photographs invite us to silence. And in that silence, we hear everything.
We are immensely grateful to Rafael Barros for producing this film. And we would like to extend a very special thank you in honor of Maria Inês Mansinho.
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