Replica of the ‘Guyposcoano giant’s’ shoe: re-signification of the object in the collections of the University of Coimbra

Abstract

In the collections of the Museum of Science of the University of Coimbra, heir to the Museum of Natural History and Museum of Anthropology, there is a replica of a right shoe attributed to an individual referred to as the “Guyposcoano Giant”. This study aims to reconstruct the trajectory of this object and to reflect on its value as a historical and scientific testimony.

            The shoe, recorded in the 1881 inventory of the Natural History Cabinet of the University of Coimbra, was made of green leather, measuring 39.5 cm in length, 13 cm in width, and 11.5 cm in height. Accompanied by a manuscript by Priest António José Affonso, attesting to the authenticity of the object and the presence of this man in Sintra in July 1844. The production of the replica, commissioned to the shoemaker António Claudino, reinforces the intention to preserve the memory of the individual’s exceptional stature.

            Miguel Joaquín de Eleicegui Ateaga (1818‑1861), whose pathological condition profoundly marked his life, had an estimated height of 2.42 m and became a prominent figure in public exhibitions of the time, traveling across European courts, cities, and towns.

Conducted 181 years after Miguel Joaquín’s passage through Portugal, this research highlights the artefact as a testimony to his presence in the country, enriching the understanding of the University of Coimbra’s collections and fostering the revaluation of the object as a component of museological heritage.