[Exhibition] Beauty of Knowledge, Happiness in Study. Maria Helena da Rocha Pereira: life and work.

The exhibition Beauty of Knowledge, Happiness in Study. Maria Helena da Rocha Pereira: Life and Work, organised to mark the centenary of the birth of Maria Helena da Rocha Pereira (1925–2025), pays tribute to one of the most distinguished figures in Portuguese science and culture of the 20th and 21st centuries. The official opening will take place on March 5 at 4:00 pm, and the exhibition will remain open to the public until 30 April at the Catalogue Room of the General Library of the University of Coimbra.

A member of the academic staff of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra for over four decades (1951–1995), Maria Helena da Rocha Pereira devoted herself passionately to teaching and research, particularly the study of Greek and Latin Classics and their reception in Portuguese literature. Her academic career resulted in more than seven hundred publications, as well as numerous invitations to deliver lectures and participate in national and international scholarly associations and networks.

Her approach to Classical Studies was marked by an understanding of Antiquity as a living cultural reality, in constant dialogue with the present. Throughout her career, she opened new paths of research, promoted the international recognition of knowledge produced in Portugal, introduced innovative methodologies, and created academic courses that contributed to the education of thousands of students. She was also a pioneer at the University of Coimbra, becoming one of the first women to pursue an academic career and hold positions of academic leadership.

The scientific and cultural impact of her work was widely recognised through numerous honours and awards, both in Portugal and abroad. Her personal and academic trajectory reflects a profound commitment to knowledge, encapsulated in the guiding idea of this exhibition: the pursuit of beauty in knowledge and joy in study.

The exhibition gives voice to Maria Helena da Rocha Pereira herself, inviting visitors to explore eight thematic sections – designated Books (Cantos) – featuring personal objects and correspondence, photographs, study materials, and audiovisual content. These materials reveal not only a scholar of international standing but also the human dimension of a life devoted to knowledge, teaching, and relationships with family, friends, and students.

Credits

Curated by: Carmen Soares e Rui Morais
Curatorial Assistant: Pedro León
Exhibition Layout Design: Atelier do Corvo
Graphic Design: Eulália Marques

Acknowledgements:

Rectorate of the University of Coimbra
Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra
General Library of the University of Coimbra
University of Coimbra Archives

With contributions from:

Ana Ribeiro da Silva
José Ribeiro Ferreira
Manuel Carmelo Rosa