The Design in Portugal origin was due to the Portuguese New State’s dictatorship to develop the industrial sector in time when the economic context of the Second Post War compelled it, in modernism era.
Design in Portugal: Furniture by Logra Metallurgical Factory in it’s exhibition stand.
Engeneers, architects and designers start to be a new aesthetical discuss, and the actions start.
António Ferro, a conservative Republican of the regim, was the one political responsible of New State Ditactorial for the propaganda and national culture, between 1933 and 1949. After the Second World War, he continued ahead of the fostering of culture.
Due his conservative political ideals, he and Duarte Pacheco avoided that the national artistic production disappeared in the obscurity of the regime. He allowed openness to the creations of contemporaeos artists and architects with the aim of developping the economy.
Design in Portugal: Propaganda poster, 1930- 1940
In architeture, the great public investment have originated a style in modern itself, the “Português Suave” style which we can also find in interior design furniture.
Design in Portugal: Tour of Areeiro Square in Lisbon, Português Suave in architecture, Luís Cristino da Silva, 1930
Design in Portugal: Lisbon Belem Square in actuality. A New State building Ensemble , Português Suave monuments and builds.
Design in Portugal: Estado-Novo-1934-1940, Catalog of the exhibition
The artistic modern expressions had a loophole to manifest itself in accordance with the European progressive standards. We can find Literature influences in Communication Design. Notourious writers as Fernando Pessoa, Mário de Sá Carneiro and Almada Negreiros and painters as Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso e Santa Rita Pintor expressed originals, revolutionaries and progressives ideas published in the Orpheu magazine with strong critical, futuristic and Modernism spirit.
Design in Portugal: Brand, STROL – Sociedade Técnica de Representações ORBE, Lda. (Importações – Exportações) by António Garcia, 1950. Awarded in the 1st Portuguese Design Exhibithion, 1971@National Institute of Industrial Research (I.N.I.I.)
Design in Portugal: Pérola export beer, 1st prize of the project competition-packaging models preseted by the advertising agency MARCA in the 1st Portuguese Design Exhibithion, 1971
Design in Portugal: Composition Ritz, portuguese cigarretes brand. @National Institute of Industrial Research (I.N.I.I.)
Architects as António Garcia, Daciano da Costa, Ascenso Belmonte, A. Sena da Silva, Gastão Martins Machado, Eduardo Afonso Dias, painting and artists as Almada Negreiros, Eduardo Nery, Vieira da Silva, Paula Rego began their creative modern work in partnership with portuguese companies in a new order design statement.
Modern Portuguese Ceramic,by Almada Negreiros
Les Degrés, Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, 1964. Col. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation – CAMJAP. Photo: @Mário Oliveira
Salazar to vomit the homeland, Paula Rego, 1960. Col. Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian – CAMJAPl. Photo: @Mário Oliveira
Iconic design furniture inhabit the middle-class portuguese houses, public buildings such as hospitals, schools, ministries, public offices, theaters, the parliament.
Precast zinc panels with trapezoidal reliefs affix over the bottom, Beer Company, Eduardo Nery, 1966-69. @National Institute of Industrial Research (I.N.I.I.)
Prestigio Chair, Modern Portuguese Design to equipate public buildings, Longra industrial prodution with craftsmanship finishes, Daciano da Costa,1962-63.@ National Institute of Industrial Research (I.N.I.I.)
Plot 3287-Daciano da Costa, desk Chair model Cortez manufacture of the Longra metallurgical. Identical specimen was patent in the 1st exhibition of Portuguese Design. @ National Institute of Industrial Research (I.N.I.I.)
Table and school chair, by A. Sena da Silva, in collaboration with Gastão Martins Machado; Co-authored with Leonor Álvares de Oliveira, 1969.
In modernism concept, the Hidden modernism, a term used to translate a very own style used in Portugal in architecture and functional design objects that we can identifie as a unique modern approach. This brings us aestetical modern design in furniture and objects that were used to create plesurable environments in the interior of private or public constructions as dams or of the mines underground work galleries‘ as well as to equipate the surprisingly modern workers houses’ in the neighborhoods, conceived by the youngests yet talented and cosmopolitant architects and designers.
Design in Portugal: Dam gallery, Miranda Douro, Hidden Modern in Portugal
Design in Portugal: Enamel Dinnerware DONA, enamelled steel sheets, Daciano da Costa with the collaboration of Christopher Macara, José Brandão and José Santa Bárbara, 19. @ National Institute of Industrial Research (I.N.I.I.)
Design in Portugal: Enamel Dinnerware DONA, enamelled steel sheets, Daciano da Costa. @ Photo: MUDE
Design in Portugal: Miria table Service,1970-72 Miria Toivola, in collaboration with the company of Porcelanas SPAL, Spal Ceramic. @ National Institute of Industrial Research (I.N.I.I.)
The great designer of furniture and interiors that was not architect, José Espinho, a craftsman, with Olaio and Sousa Braga drew part of the domestic landscape and aesthetics of midcentury Portuguese furniture and environments. OLAIO Furniture Factory hired n José Espinho as a consultant of Industrial Aesthetics. This happened in the 30’s, leading governamental suppliers of furniture in the portuguese modern period to acquire some of the most iconic design furniture m of that period. A part of the country’s history sits in this company, with José Espinho design, chairs and armchairs being a significant part material of Portuguese midcentury modern legacy that marked the Design in Portugal.
OLAIO Furniture Decoration, Lisbon, Modern in Portugal @OLAIO Furniture
Caravela Chair, José Espinho, Modern Portuguese Design @OLAIO Furniture
The Olaio Company reopen in 2016 relaunching the brand and marking the beginning of a new production of quality Portuguese furniture.
Brasil Chair, OLAIO, Modern Portuguese Furniture, 1960.@OLAIO Furniture
José Espinho, OLAIO, Modern Portuguese Furniture.@MUDE
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