A Sunday in Lisbon, tapestry 

Jose de Almada-Negreiros’ tapestry, "A Sunday in Lisbon", presents a vibrant snapshot of Portuguese life through a modernist lens. The prominence of boats, figures carrying goods, and people at leisure invoke the city's maritime history and its vibrant working class. Note the recurring motif of figures carrying objects on their heads. This echoes ancient Greek Caryatids, female figures used as architectural support, and the Egyptian depictions of burden-bearers. This symbol transcends time and space, resonating with our collective memory of labor and human resilience. Here, however, they are not upholding buildings, but rather they are actively carrying out the work, performing for the community in order to survive. Consider how gestures such as this may express collective memory and the subconscious echoes of shared human experience. It is a powerful force, engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. The motif transforms, reappears, and evolves, adopting new significance across diverse historical contexts. Almada-Negreiros’ vision serves not just as a depiction of a time but as a study of how we are all, in a way, carriers.