ENG
José Maria Rodrigues was born in Ribolhos, Castro Daire, in 1906.
He learned the art of shaping clay and became one of Portugal’s most renowned potters. He began by producing utilitarian household objects, but changes in consumer habits and the introduction of new materials forced him to leave the potter’s wheel. He then devoted himself to creating figures inspired by rural life and the daily routines of the Serra de Montemuro.
Master Zé Maria claimed that he “rescued” (resgatou) his pieces from the ground, where he fired them in a pit, following the traditional technique he used.
PT
José Maria Rodrigues nasceu em Ribolhos, Castro Daire, em 1906.
Aprendeu a arte de moldar o barro e tornou-se num dos mais reputados oleiros de Portugal. Começou por produzir objetos domésticos utilitários, mas a mudança nos hábitos de consumo e a introdução de novos materiais forçaram-no a abandonar a roda de oleiro, passando a dedicar-se à construção de figuras inspiradas na vida rural e no quotidiano da Serra de Montemuro.
Mestre Zé Maria afirmava resgatar as suas peças do chão, onde as cozia num buraco, de acordo com a técnica tradicional que utilizava.
