Lisbonne aux mille couleurs

Paulo Ferreira’s (b. 1911 – d. 1999) experience as painter, scenographer and costume designer for theatre and dance, decorator, illustrator and writer for relevant newspapers and magazines led to his being put in charge of the decorative programme of Portugal’s representation at the 1937 Paris International Exposition under the theme Arts et Tecniques dans la Vie Moderne. It was with the panel Lisbonne aux Mille Couleurs, that he participated and received the diploma of honour as a ceramicist, in addition to the Grand Prix for decorator. In this panel Paulo Ferreira presents a luminous panorama of the city seen from the river Tagus, an ingenious and somewhat naive perspective, with the view centred on Praça do Comércio. The urban image unfolds towards Rossio, showing on the left depictions of Carmo Convent, Bairro Alto, Município and Camões squares and, on the left representations of the Cathedral and the Castle of São Jorge. The perspective over the buildings is altered so as to sustain the perspective of strong centrality intended by the author. It is a 1992 replica of the 1937 panel.