João Maria Policarpo May : debuxador e lente da aula de desenho da Real Fábrica das Sedas

Abstract

From 1764 to 1793 João Maria Policarpo May, who came from Lyon (France), was the first teacher of the "Aula do Desenho" (design class) established in he Royal Silk Factory of Rato (Lisbon). The appren-tices had to attend lessons in order to become entitled masters in the craft of silk fabrics. There they learned how to design of both organic and geometrical patterns reproduced from engravings and nature. Those classes continued far from the death of Policarpo May and were in Portugal the first example of teaching in industrial design intended as a part of the manufacturing process.