Period: 20th century Dimensions: 14 x 14 cm (5.5 x 5.5 inches) Description:

Portuguese tile dating from 1994, created by Querubim Lapa (1925–2016), depicting a stylized cat in relief, executed in glazes of various shades of blue and green on a white background. The composition features a feline figure with simplified forms and defined contours, exploring the volume, texture, and chromatic effects of the glazes. The piece is signed on the back and bears the mark of the Fábrica Viúva Lamego, with which the artist maintained a significant collaboration.

Querubim Lapa was one of the leading figures in the renewal of Portuguese artistic ceramics in the second half of the 20th century, creating a body of work associated with modernism and the establishment of ceramics within the context of contemporary art. A painter, sculptor, and ceramicist, he explored the artistic possibilities of clay and glaze, often incorporating figurative elements, animals, and motifs inspired by folk art into a language of formal synthesis. His collaboration with the Fábrica Viúva Lamego contributed to the recognition of the azulejo as both an autonomous artistic medium and an element of architectural integration. Dated 1994, this piece bears witness to the continuity of this artistic exploration during the mature phase of his career, transforming an animal motif into a small-scale sculptural composition through the combination of ceramic relief and glazed painting.