The Sardine collection by Bordallo Pinheiro results from a collaboration between the Earthenware Factory of Caldas da Rainha, founded in 1884 by Raphael Bordallo Pinheiro, EGEAC (Lisbon’s Cultural and Animation municipal entity). And Lisbon’s City Council.
The original Bordallo Pinheiro’s Sardine, designed in the XIX century, due to its classic three-dimensional nature, became the ideal support for receiving the creative work that EGEAC develops since 2003, within Lisbon’s Festivities, which transformed the sardine, iconic fish of Portuguese culture and gastronomy, an international icon of the city and of Summer celebrations of the Portuguese capital.
Being a bigwig of the Lisbon nobility of the 18th century, he has exquisite
taste and language ticks, like “Oh la la!” or “Et, voilá!”, which he is always
applying. He organizes the “Salon Musical et Littéraire”, receiving guests
while reclined on a bed from the previous century, at the Chambre Bleu of
his palace in Belém.
Designer: Isabel Colher
How long has it been since you last mailed a letter? This Sardine evokes the
nostalgia of a gesture that we’re losing nowadays, while highlighting the
importance of perpetuating our traditions.
Designer: Ana Sofia Gonçalves
Inspired by the numerous existing lighthouses along the Portuguese coast,
this Sardine refers to the idea of travelling to a distant world, whether real or
imaginary, as well as the eternal return home after its discovery.
Designer: Ana Sofia Gonçalves
The Sardine belongs to the PEOPLE.... As do the memories of our History.
In 2012, the Sardine aged and told a story about a feat accomplished with
the sails of the Cross of Christ, the Heroes of the Air. Sacadura Cabral and
Gago Coutinho greatly contributed to the History of aviation when crossing
the South Atlantic by air in 1922.
Designer: Miguel Amaral
It was just an anonymous and pale Sardine. It sought colour and participated
in the “Festas de Lisboa” (Lisbon Festivities). As the event’s icon, it deserved a
monumental illustration. So, I tried to create a symbiosis between the sardine
and the Santa Justa Elevator. The Santa Justa Sardine, once anonymous and
pale, now parades in colour and tradition.
Designer: Frederico Lencastre
The sardine, with its silvery blue and black hues, darker on the back and lighter on the sides and belly, is found in the northeast Atlantic and the
Mediterranean Sea, where it dwells on coastal areas, between 25 and 100 meters deep.
It undertakes migrations in large shoals that protect fish
from predators during the day, in deeper waters, and move at night-time to shallower waters
to feed on algae and small crustaceans.
It reproduces from October to April, a time when sardines
are leaner and not so tasty.
The sardine is the most popular fish in summer festivals and fairs in Portugal, as well as the main species used in the
Portuguese canning industry.
A sassy Sardine Bride that celebrates and honours the Brides of Saint
Anthony, the “Matchmaker Saint” of Lisbon popular tradition.
Designer: Ana Gomes
Because it is of the Portuguese, father of broad seas, to want, to be able to
simply:be nothing. And be someone in a sea of people. Be a person. Flood.
Dry out. Cry. Float. Come up and dive in again. Be fished. Be gutted and
survive: the whole sea, or the empty destroyed waterfront – The whole, or its
nothing (In D. João Infante de Portugal, Message, Fernando Pessoa).
Designer: Maria Miguel
The High Tide Sardine is an allusion to deep sea fishing, symbolizing
both the lull and the storm that diminishes us. The whole of the sea
inside of a sardine.
Designer: Filipa Oliveira
This is a cat that truly loves Lisbon sardines. He ate so many sardines that, inevitably, he became one of them.
Designer: Elena Ospina
Inspired by the love verses that the girls of the Minho region embroidered on handkerchiefs for their boyfriends, this sardine represents the promise of endless love. The Sweetheart Handkerchiefs are recognised by their strong colours, love symbols and spelling errors. It was a romantic allurement ritual where the sewing needles were the keyboard at that time.
Designer: Oupas! Design