António Quadros - Culture and Inspiration at Casa da Seara

A restless spirit

António Augusto de Melo Lucena e Quadros (Viseu, July 9, 1933 — Santiago de Besteiros, July 2, 1994) was born at Casa da Seara, in Santiago de Besteiros, surrounded by the calm of Beira Alta and the raw beauty of the mountains. The son of José Augusto de Lucena e Quadros and Emília Maria Bagão, he grew up among books, landscapes, and silence — ingredients that from an early age nurtured a deep sensitivity. It was in this place that he awakened to the world, and perhaps also to the restlessness that would accompany him throughout his life.

Grabato Dias — the other name

António Quadros (1923-1993) was a thinker and creator of profound concerns, whose life was a constant dialogue with the mystery of the universe. Philosopher, writer, and artist, Quadros dedicated himself to exploring the fundamental issues of human existence, combining reason, sensitivity, and intuition. Under the heteronym Grabato Dias, he revealed a more introspective and poetic facet, translating into words what lies beyond the visible. Between philosophical contemplation and artistic expression, António Quadros was a soul that ceaselessly sought the transcendent, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire those who, like him, seek truth and essence.Dias engraving, a name he used to express creative freedom without the burden of legacy.
His work is an inner journey — and at the same time, a profound affirmation of the value of the spirit in a world that often forgets it.

Portrait of António Quadros with a thick beard, disheveled hair, holding a black cat and looking intensely at the camera.

QUOTE

“Art serves to say - this is another way of seeing the world.
When it cannot be seen in a single way, but through a mirror catadupa”

António Quadros

Painting of a blue figure in checkered clothing holding a green crocodile-shaped toy.

The Work and Spirit of Grabato Dias

António Quadros’ artistic expression was not limited to words. His paintings, filled with symbolism and emotion, are visual extensions of his philosophical reflections and his inner quest. Each color and stroke seems to carry the same philosophical tension as his writings: the search for meaning, the awe before mystery, the desire to go beyond the visible.

António Quadros with thick-rimmed glasses and long hair, with his hands raised in an expressive pose.

QUOTE

(...) At your Casa da Seara (Santiago de Besteiros), you will also experiment with drawing with a computer mouse, showing once again the inventive restlessness that was a constant in your life. Sign “sudden scrap we saw”. (...)

Luis Calheiros, In Millenium Nº22, Abril de 2011

In a Universe with António Quadros

António Quadros was more than a man of his time — he was an explorer of the soul and the infinite. His words, ideas, and creations continue to resonate, offering a path for those who wish to understand more deeply what it means to be human.

External view through a window, showing a balcony with red railing and green trees.

Where everything is found

Not only was Casa da Seara a cradle, a refuge, a starting point, and a return. Today, the space retains the same serene atmosphere, conducive to reflection, creation, and contemplation. Those who pass through here say they feel something beyond architecture or landscape — they feel the presence of a soul that thought deeply about the human condition.

Visiting this place is also stepping into Quadros’ universe — and perhaps, for an instant, touching the same fertile silence where ideas, restlessness, and visions were born, which continue to echo through the world and increasingly reflect in our conscious reality, captured by this contemplator.

Living room with vibrant yellow sofa, walls decorated with artistic murals and gray wood details.

QUOTATIONS

“Life isn't a race with anyone. There is no goal of arrival or departure. It's a race with ourselves. It just makes sense to take one more step each day.”

António Quadros