A Legacy Cast in Bronze and Stone The story of José Simões de Almeida Júnior is one deeply etched into the cultural fabric of Portugal, a narrative that begins not in an ivory tower of academia, but amidst the heat and rhythmic clang of an iron foundry. Born in 1844 in Figueiró dos Vinhos, his journey was predestined by a lineage of craftsmanship. At the tender age of eleven, he entered the Arsenal da Marinha as an apprentice, working under the watchful eye of his father. It was within this industrial crucible—learning the secrets of moulding, foundry techniques, and the delicate art of carv…