Abstract :
From the end of the XIX century until the second half of the XX century, there is a
‘hidden-stream’ world of women’s popular art in traditional clay work of the
Barcelos region – Galegos parishes. At a time when mainstream aesthetic values in
fine art are undergoing fundamental change, research into this tradition could
contribute to the current status of knowledge of aesthetic value in general,
particularly with regard to evaluating the aesthetic in hidden-stream art forms, and
the reasons for the negative value attached to female art production. This paper
documents and records visually clay figurines of these women artisans, determines
how the ceramic tradition is passed on in the community, and reveals the artisans’
views of its meaning, significance, and aesthetic worth. From a feminist perspective,
the research will inquire into the aesthetic and other concerns of the women
artisans and ascertain their audiences and their reasons for valuing or not valuing
the work. Male and female responses to the products of a traditionally female
ceramic occupation will be compared. There is a need to document processes of
informal and continuous training made available for those who might wish to
participate in the future, and to determine the extent to which this heritage is
dependent on gender divisions in Portuguese society undergoing a process of
change.
