Júlio Máximo de Oliveira Pimentel e o início do Ensino da Química na Escola Politécnica de Lisboa - Um estudo de Cultura Material

Abstract

The Chemical Laboratory of the Polytechnic School of Lisbon offers a fascinating opportunity for historians: its remarkable preservation and the amount of existing collection allows the study and an approach to the conditions of scientific practice in this institution during the 19th century. In this paper, we aim to establish a connection between the life of Julio de Oliveira Pimentel (1809-1884), the 2nd Viscount of Vila Maior, and the beginnings of experimental chemistry education at the Polytechnic School of Lisbon. Much of the research conducted on Pimentel and other chemistry professors at this institution has relied on textual sources such as official reports, memoirs, and scientific publications. However, the material heritage is also worth to explore, as it provides complementary information. In this work we present the results of a study that seeks to establish a relationship between this heritage, belonging to the chemistry collection of the National Museum of Natural History and Science, and the existing knowledge about the academic and professional life of this chemistry professor. Our goal is to contribute to a deeper understanding of the contexts in which these objects were used. By utilizing material sources such as objects, reagents, invoices, books, and minutes, we intend to revisit and expand our knowledge not only about the Viscount of Vila Maior but also about the existing Chemistry collection at the institution, with the primary aim of comprehending this professor's contributions to Chemistry and its teaching in Portugal.