José Cristóvam Dias was born on April 24, 1931, in Lisbon. In 1951 he explores for the first time aesthetics in the field of photography. His name is often present in various competitions (Salons) and exhibitions in Portugal and abroad, where he was awarded multiple prizes.

In 1976, already residing in Matosinhos, he resumed his activity dedicating himself to color photography. In 1986, he was awarded a scholarship by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation for research in the field of color, which began in January 1987 and was renewed in 1988. In 1993, he was also awarded a scholarship by the Fundação Oriente, having worked and resided in Macau for a period of two months.

He publishes his first portfolio entitled “Tempos de um Tempo”, which reproduces 25 of his main works in color, in Porto, in 1985. A second portfolio entitled “Cristóvam Dias”, Porto, 1994, and a third, “ Mar Nosso Mar”, edited by the Municipality of Matosinhos in 2001.

His work is represented in several private collections and also at the Photographic Documentation Center of the Museology Unit of the University of Minho, at the Délégation Générale de l'Alliance Française in Lisbon, at the Modern Art Center of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, at Banco Espírito Santo, at Aliança Seguradora, at the Municipality of Matosinhos, at the North Regional Delegation of the Secretary of State for Culture and at the Serralves Foundation.

He passed away in 2014.