Beautiful handwoven wool rug by Manuel Cargalerio. Number 2 in an edition of 8.

Made in France, circa 1990

Manuel Cargaleiro, (born 1927 in Vila Velha de Ródão), is a Portuguese artist who creates ceramics and paintings. He produced earthenware squares, the Portuguese Azulejo, an art that still has its importance in Portugal, which had been brought by the Arabs to the Iberian Peninsula.

He settled in France in 1957, a country which became his home. He was influenced by artists from the École de Paris, such as Delaunay, Ernst, Vasarely and Klee. His compositions are based on geometrical modules and primary colors, suggesting movement in space.

Manuel Cargaleiro has received awards and decorations in Portugal, France and Italy. In 1995 the artist created frescos for the subway station Champs-Elysées Clémenceau in Paris.

In 2004, the Foundation Manuel Cargaleiro opened a museum dedicated to the work of Manuel Cargaleiro, which has become an important center for the art of ceramics.

Cargaleiro lives and works in Paris.