António Ramalho

Hedgehog

Name: Hedgehog
SKU: 04PT07ARA0005
Price: 63.4 EUR

Rarity scale

VERY RARE

Firm, silent, compact. António Ramalho's glazed clay hedgehog reminds us that the spines we sometimes wear are, after all, a shield. The protection of what is most precious to us.

Regular price 63,40 €

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Hedgehog

63,40 €

History Dimensions Conservation

The contained beauty of vulnerability.

There is something deeply human about António Ramalho's Glazed Clay Hedgehog. In its circular form, closed in on itself, we recognise protection and defence.

Its spines do not attack, they warn. It is in that moment that we feel a quiet tension. Between the instinct to draw closer, the wish to know, and the challenge of not touching. But of caring.

By the hands of sculptor António Ramalho, clay ceases to be inert matter and becomes skin. A sensitive skin that marks the boundary between the world and what is hardest for us to expose.

The hedgehog asks for respect, restraint. And it is in that restraint that its greatest beauty lies - as if the piece were constantly deciding between closing itself off or opening up. Before it, we recognise ourselves. We too raise our spines at times. Out of fear, out of fragility.

Great-grandson of Rosa Ramalho and son of Júlia Ramalho, two iconic names in Portuguese ceramics from Barcelos, António Ramalho learned the craft at home, but it was in England and France that he found the distance he needed to grow into his own expression. Vivid colours and the glassy texture of the clay have become his signature, visible in this piece - the Hedgehog.

Diameter > 15 cm
Height > 20 cm

Handling
Due to the unique, handcrafted nature of this piece, handle it with care to avoid knocks or accidental drops. Avoid sudden changes in temperature, as this may cause cracking.

Storage
If used for decorative purposes, use a dry cotton cloth or a soft brush to remove dust.

Store in a safe place where it is protected from possible impact.

Meet the Producer

ROSA RAMALHO'S GREAT-GRANDSON REINVENTS TRADITION

António Ramalho grew up with clay under his fingernails, inheriting a family legacy that he has reinvented with imagination and unique expressiveness.

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Early Life and Family Heritage

Born in 1969 in Barcelos, António Ramalho grew up with clay under his fingernails and, at only 8 years old, sold a tiny clay horse he had made to a Spanish tourist. The son of Júlia Ramalho and great-grandson of Rosa Ramalho, two of the most iconic names in Portuguese ceramics, António learned sculpture as a family craft.

International Experience and Return to Roots

Years abroad in England and France gave him perspective, but it was in 2004 that he returned home to fulfill his family’s tradition - not to repeat it, but to reimagine it, a balancing act between honoring his legacy and finding his own voice.

Artistic Style and Themes

António’s work is imaginative and expressive. It blends inherited forms, traditional Barcelos clay figures and a uniquely strange cast of surreal creatures glazed in green glass, one of his trademarks.

Exhibitions and Collaborations

His pieces have been shown from Braga’s Cathedral Museum to contemporary alternative galleries like RAMPa in Porto, where he’s collaborated with young artists.