Bordalo Pinheiro Museum

The Bordalo Pinheiro Museum was created in homage to Rafael Augusto Prostes Bordalo Pinheiro, multifaceted Portuguese artist that lived in the 19^th century and passed away in 1905. It is housed at the Moradia do Campo Grande¹, a design project of the architect Álvaro Machado.

A man ahead of his time, Bordalo Pinheiro didn't believe in the national organizations and doubted of people's good-nature, seeing the Portuguese people as an inert mass of humanity, resigned and ignorant. It was set the inspiring context to the creation of his most famous work, the Zé Povinho. The cartoon character made its first appearance in the periodical journal A Lanterna Mágica³ on the June 12^th of 1875 and nevermore left the life of the Portuguese.

Among us, we all know the Zé Povinho. However, the work of Bordalo Pinheiro stretched to journalism (he was one of the founders of the A Lanterna Mágica), graphics, ceramics, having created in 1884 the Fábrica de Faianças das Caldas da Rainha⁴. In the museum, in addition to the works already mentioned, exists an important documental collection that includes official documents, portraits, correspondence and personal items.

Translation references

1. Villa of Campo Grande
2. Zé is the diminutive of the name José (En: Joseph). Povinho means little people.
3. The Magic Lantern
4. Earthenware factory of Caldas da Rainha