Sardinha Maminha

Nuno Saraiva created the illustration Sardinha Maminha for the Festas de Lisboa in 2009.
The artwork represents a traditional Portuguese sardine covered with small breasts instead of scales, mixing humour, provocation and popular culture imagery.

Nuno Saraiva is a Portuguese illustrator from Lisbon known for his colourful graphic style and for representing Lisbon’s urban culture, popular festivities and everyday characters. His work combines influences from comics, street art and Portuguese popular graphic traditions.

“Sardinha Maminha” became one of his most recognizable illustrations because of its ironic and playful approach. The artwork reflects symbols strongly connected to Portuguese identity, especially the sardine, which is an icon of the Santos Populares celebrations in Lisbon.