Raquel Roque Gameiro Ottolini (1889–1970) was a prominent Portuguese illustrator andwatercolourist. She exhibited her paintings atLisbon's Sociedade Nacional de Belas-Artes from 1909, receiving the SNBA watercolour medal in 1929. Gameiro illustrated numerous books, newspapers and magazines, includingDiário de Notícias andO Século.[1][2][3]
Born on 15 August 1889 in Lisbon, Raquel Roque Gameiro was the eldest child of the painterAlfredo Roque Gameiro (1864–1935) and Maria da Assunção de Carvalho Forte.[4] She was brought up in theAmadora district of Lisbon, together with her brother Manuel and her sisters Helena and Maria Emília, She was educated at home where together with her siblings her father introduced her to painting.[5] Drawing from the age of seven, when she was 15 she contributed illustrations toAna de Castro Osório's children's collectionPara as Crianças.[1] In 1911, she married Jorge Gomes Ottolini (1889–1955), the Fourth Count of Ottolini, with whom she had three daughters, including the illustratorGuida Ottolini [pt], and one son. They first lived in the family home in Amadora but later moved to theBenfica district of Lisbon.[5]
Gameiro exhibited at the SNBA from 1909 to 1937, painting colourful works depicting fishermen and peasants as well as rustic interiors.[5] After taking care of her family for an extended period, in the 1920s Gameiro returned to professional work, illustrating mainly children's literature by authors includingAgostinho de Campos [pt],António Sérgio,Emília de Sousa Costa,Francisco José da Rocha Martins [pt],Manuel Rodrigues Lapa [pt] andSara Beirão.[5] She also illustrated school books such asLivro de Leitura para a 1.ª Classe (1932).[5] She also made illustrations for several newspapers and magazines, includingABCzinho,Joaninha,Ilustração Portuguesa,Jornal dos Pequeninos,Modas e Bordados,O Mosquito, andPortugal Feminino.[1]
Together with her father, Gameiro also made caricatures of local personalities, which contributed to a humorous collection.[1]
Raquel Gameiro died in Lisbon on 3 October 1970.[4][5]
