Following the success of the 3rd Painting & Patronage initiative launched in Portugal in 2005, the 4th Painting & Patronage initiative was formally held in the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, on 15 April 2007. Among the principal events held to mark the occasion was the hosting of the first ever exhibition of Portuguese contemporary and landscape art and photography in Saudi Arabia. The exhibition was held at the Al-Faisaliah Tower and Centre in central Riyadh and was attended by several thousand over the duration of exhibition opening.
Among the art works on display were those of leading Portuguese artists including Rita Magalhaes, Daniel Blaufucks, Alberto Carneiro, Mariana Viegas, Cristina Mateus, Mariana Viegas, Edgar Martins, Mario Pires Cordeiro, Noronha da Costa, Baltazar Torres, Pedro Calapez, Valdemar Santos, Armando Alves, Joao Hogan, Manual Amado, Domingos Pinho, Mario Cesariny, Nikias Skapinakis, Joao Queiroz and Marta Ramos.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia honoured the occasion by granted his High Patronage over the programme of events. HRH Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud of Saudi Arabia formally opened the initiative on behalf of King Abdullah in the presence of HRH Prince Khalid Al-Faisal and other leading Saudi Arabian and Portuguese statesmen. Among them included the Ministers of Culture of Portugal and Saudi Arabia – HE Prof Dr Isabel Pires de Lima and HE Dr Iyad bin Ameen Madani. Others in attendance included senior representatives of the Presidency of the Republic, the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Economy of Portugal as well as the Royal Court, Royal Government of Saudi Arabia and the diplomatic community based in Riyadh.