gastronomic caricatures by bordalo pinheiro (2006)

Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, born in Lisbon in 1846, is considered the greatest Portuguese caricature artist. Creator of Zé Povinho, a writer, visual artist, and journalist, his talent has left its mark on Portuguese art from the second half of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century. This exhibition puts on display the gastronomic caricatures of the last newspaper that Bordalo Pinheiro founded, “The Parody”, and was created by the Museum’s scientific team. Founded during the monarchy’s final crisis, the caricatures featured in this newspaper are a criticism of the governments’ inaction, the people’s indifference, and the backwardness of the country. The whole of society, satirized through gastronomy.