He studied in the Academy of Fine Arts in Porto and in 1873 travelled to France with is colleague António Silva Porto, were they studied with academical painters Adolphe Yvon and Alexandre Cabanel.
He studied in the Academy of Fine Arts in Porto, it was here that he met his life-long friend Joshua Adamson. In 1873 he travelled to France with is colleague António Silva Porto, were they studied with academical painters Adolphe Yvon and Alexandre Cabanel.