Portugal · 70 years Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian was an Armenian businessman, art collector and patron. He was born in the Ottoman Empire and was primarily active in the international oil business. Through his involvement in the development of Iraq’s oil reserves, he acquired a large fortune. At the same time, he built up an extensive art collection comprising works from various periods and regions. Its focal points include, among other things, Ancient Near Eastern art, Islamic art, and European painting and decorative arts.

Gulbenkian spent the final years of his life in Lisbon. In his will, he stipulated that his fortune and collection should benefit a foundation operating on a permanent basis. The foundation established its headquarters in Portugal and developed into an institution combining art, education, science and social projects. A central part of its work is the preservation and public presentation of the collection. The Museu Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon, which grew out of it, displays works by Rembrandt, Monet, Renoir and Lalique, among others, as well as objects from Egyptian, Greco-Roman and Islamic art.

The foundation complex also includes facilities for concerts, exhibitions, research and educational work. The foundation also supports cultural and scientific projects outside Portugal and maintains international partnerships. In this way, it extends beyond the mere administration of a private art collection.

The anniversary gives Portugal occasion to commemorate the establishment of this foundation and Gulbenkian’s connection with the country. The coin therefore does not represent a single political event or a particular building, but rather an institution whose activities developed from the estate of a single collector. Its combination of an international art collection, cultural outreach and charitable work explains the choice of this occasion for a national commemorative coin.