The Lisbon Connection

In 1995, three friends gathered efforts and determination to build a project which was at that time a pioneering but also a risky one: the opening of a place exclusively dedicated to the promotion of the Portuguese Folk Art. They named it ‘Santos Ofícios’, located Rua da Madalena no. 87, in Lisbon’s Baixa Pombalina. This building belonged to the Count of Soure (a city near Coimbra) and was constructed after the big earthquake in 1755 on the ruins of the Church Nossa Senhora da Conceicao dos Freire.

The interior of ‘Santos Ofícios‘ was submitted to a very careful work of reconstruction, which made possible to show arches of an old brick that draw a cross and also to preserve an entire wall of tiles made at that time in the ‘Rato’ factory.

Inside this historical place handworks made of different materials are displayed: stone, clay, metal, corn, wood,  cork, wool, cotton, paper, jute, straw…. Traveling all over the country, from the North to the South the owners of the shop, mrs. Louisa Cruz and mr. Homero Cardoso, visited hidden villages and they have been able to meet dozens and dozens of folk artists.

Not only the famous artists like Irmãs Flores and the descendants of Rosa Ramalho, Mistério and Ana Baraca, but also those who have never left their villages and were completely unknown. Website shop ‘Santos Ofícios‘ with more art items including a list of  Portuguese folk artists.

Unfortunately some folk artists are already deceased and couldn’t leave followers, but thanks to a continous work of research the owners of Santos Ofícios have been able to meet and divulge other ones. In this branch of the Portuguese culture – the Folk Art – that is displayed with dignity in ‘Santos Ofícios’, the only place in Lisbon that insists on keeping, in this area, a standard of rigour intimately tied to the concept of ‘tradition’.

‘Santos Ofícios‘, open 10 am to 8 pm daily, except on Sunday. Rua da Madalena no. 87, Lisbon, opposite Madalena church

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